The Forbidden
by VectorSigma101
Summary: Leopardkit and her brothers, Pinekit and Ashkit, are the kits of CreekClan warriors, Blackfrost and Honeywhisker, and are on their way to learning the ways of the warrior code. But hidden shadows threaten their lives everyday, that threaten the Clan and their loved ones. Soon, the three littermates will soon know what it means to be forbidden...
1. Prologue

A gentle breeze shook the new leaves in the trees. An owl hooted in the distance, as the new moon gracefully rose in the night sky. Not a sound was heard. The forest was at peace.

A cream-colored tabby cat swiftly crept through the forest. It was the beginning of new-leaf and the leaves were just beginning to appear. New plants started to grow and the water swiftly ran down the creek nearby.

The cat stopped and gazed at the night sky. The spirits of her ancestors shone down upon her, watching wistfully, and waiting for her next move.

"Oh, StarClan," the she-cat whispered to herself, hoping her ancestors could hear. "I know what we are doing is against your will, but, please…hear me and I will never meet him again."

The stars above only twinkled in reply.

The cat sighed and continued on her way. As she walked, she could feel kicks and squirms in her belly; her kits would be born soon. Soon, she came to a clearing at the edge of her territory and sat down, waiting for someone else to appear.

Pawsteps were heard in the distance and a black cat appeared from the darkness on the other side of the territory; his black pelt blending him well in the shadows of the forest.

He stopped at the edge of the border. "You came," he meowed briskly.

The she-cat nodded. "Yes…I did. I…I need to tell you something, but I know you won't like hearing it."

The tom tipped his head to one side as his mate continued. "We…we can't go on meeting like this."

"Why?" the tom demanded and blinked back in shock. "We aren't doing anything wrong. Haven't you enjoyed these past moons with me?"

"I have," the she-cat replied, pain flowing in her green eyes. "But my kits will be born soon…and I want them to be raised without their Clanmates knowing they are half-Clan. You know half-Clan cats aren't that well accepted in any Clan."

The tom flinched. "What do you mean your kits? They are my kits, too!"

"No, they are not," the she-cat meowed sternly. "I am going to raise them in CreekClan, as pure-blooded warriors, and they will never know you exist. The Clan must have to assume another cat is their father."

The tom blinked his eyes. "I can join CreekClan or you could join mine. Then they'd be full Clan."

"That can never happen," the she-cat replied. "I wouldn't be fully accepted in your Clan and I know for a fact that my Clanmates wouldn't fully accept you."

"Then let's get out of here!" the tom quickly suggested. "We could live outside the territory, find our own place and raise our kits there!"

The she-cat sighed. "But we would be outcasts and I want to raise the kits as warriors; with the warrior code and StarClan and everything. Let's face the facts…there isn't another way. I'm sorry."

The tom's amber eyes blazed with anger. "If that's the way you want it…fine!" He stormed off into the shadows, but before he disappeared in his territory, he turned around and glanced back at his mate. "We are over and we shall never meet again." He quickly dashed into his territory.

The she-cat sagged her shoulders. Never had her heart been broken before, and she didn't like this feeling. She looked up at the night sky and meowed, "I pray that I did the right thing. Please help me to raise my kits well."

The stars did not reply.

The she-cat glanced at her growing belly and tried to imagine the tiny lives growing inside of her. "Oh, my precious kits, I will always love you." She looked up at the direction of where for former mate went. "And I will always have a place in my heart for you, too."

And with that, she turned around and disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 1

Dawn swept over a clearing surrounded by tall ferns and trees. Dens made out of brambles and ferns lined the clearing. A large tree with a low-hanging branch had a den made under the roots. A hollow upright tree was on the other side of the tree and it had a sweet smelling scent of herbs coming from it. A large boulder with a large crack in it was not far from it and the sound of someone coughing. Not far from that, faint mewling could be heard from a den made of brambles. All was peaceful…all was quiet as the morning sun rose—

"WAKE UP!" a small shriek came from the bramble den. A small, brown kit leapt on his littermates. "Come on! Get up!"

"Go away, Pinekit," a smokey black tom murmured as his brother leapt on his back. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"

"Well, you aren't anymore, Ashkit," Pinekit pointed out as Ashkit rolled his amber eyes. "Come on! Let's play!"

"Ugh…but I'm tired!" Ashkit moaned and shoved his brother off his soft pelt and rolled on his back.

"So?" Pinekit stubbornly asked. Suddenly paws smacked his head and Pinekit turned around and came face to face with another kit. This kit was a golden she-cat with black spots and bright green eyes. The kit grabbed her brother and wrestled with him to the ground until she sat on top of him.

"Get off me, Leopardkit!" Pinekit growled and tried to get his younger sister off him, but failed.

"Make me!" Leopardkit sneered and twitched her whiskers in amusement.

Pinekit saw his chance and swiped his paw at his sister's ear. She stumbled off him and the brown kit wrestled with his sister. Suddenly, a cream-colored tabby she-cat grabbed Pinekit by the scruff and separated him from his sister.

"Knock it off, you two," Honeywhisker gently growled, but she could never be mad at her kits for long.

"Sorry, Honeywhisker," her two kits meowed.

"It's alright, my kits," the queen purred and gave each kit a quick lick on the ear. "Just try to be quiet so other can be some more sleep."

A white she-cat with electric yellow stripes raised her head and stretched her jaws in a yawn. "No, I think we're all away now," she purred. Her three kits, Cedarkit, Lilykit, and Otterkit, cuddled up against her side and began to stir. "Softbelly, you awake?"

A gray tabby she-cat with a white underbelly raised her head. "I am now," she meowed. Her two kits, Moonkit and Ryekit, were wide awake, thanks to Pinekit's yowling.

"You guys are so loud," the gray tabby tom complained and walked up to Pinekit. Even though he was a moon younger than the three littermates, he was just as tall.

"Yeah, well, you are too annoying," Pinekit muttered under his breath, loud enough for Moonkit to hear.

"Softbelly!" Moonkit wailed. "Pinekit was mean to me, again!" He ran to his mother and pawed her soft belly.

"Pinekit!" Honeywhisker scolded. "Apologize to Moonkit, right now."

Pinekit shifted his paws uncomfortably and muttered, "Sorry."

"That's better," Honeywhisker purred.

Moonkit scowled at Pinekit from his mother's side and gently bared his teeth.

Leopardkit glared at him. She and her littermates never liked Moonkit. He was such a show off and very obnoxious and was always poking his nose in where it didn't belong.

_I can't wait until I'm an apprentice, then I won't have to hear Moonkit's complaining all the time. _

Moonkit's younger brother, Ryekit, bounded up to Leopardkit. Unlike his older brother, Ryekit was not as annoying. He was sometimes shy and clumsy and he always hanged around Leopardkit for some reason. Sometimes he could be annoying, since he was always following Leopardkit around, but he was a good friend and such.

"Hi, Leopardkit," Ryekit meowed.

"Hey, Ryekit," Leopardkit muttered.

_Why can't he go bother someone else?_

"Come on, everybody!" Pinekit yowled. "Let's go outside and play!"

All of the kits agreed and followed the small kit outside the nursery. By now most of the warriors were surrounding Whitescar, the Clan deputy, as he ordered patrols. Steelpaw and Hawkpaw, the apprentices, came out of the apprentices' den and hurriedly ran to their mentors.

"Rainfrost," Whitescar called to the gray & white warrior. "Take Berrycloud and Hawkpaw and check the PineClan and BrambleClan border. Make sure those mangy cats haven't crossed our border."

Rainfrost nodded.

"Stripedwhisker," the Clan deputy meowed. A dark brown tabby tom lifted his head at the sound of his name. "Take Wingflight and Icetalon and catch some prey for the morning. Viperstrike, lead another hunting patrol later and take Flyingcloud and Blackfrost. All apprentices will have hunting training today."

As the cats went to do their duties, Leopardkit could help but admire how skilled their Clan deputy was. The white tom with black stripes was one of the most respected warriors in the Clan, except maybe their leader, Redstar.

Just at that moment, Redstar came out from under the tree with the low-hanging branch. He was a large dark red tabby tom with amber eyes and he held his head tall. The eight kits stared at their leader in awe as he walked past them. Redstar spoke a few words with Whitescar before hurriedly rushing over to the medicine cat's den.

"Why's he in such a hurry?" Lilykit asked a pale gray tabby.

"Maybe its medicine cat stuff," Otterkit suggested, a ginger and white tabby.

"But he's not a medicine cat, though," Cedarkit pointed out, a dark brown tabby tom.

"Do you think he had an omen from StarClan?" Ashkit gasped. All the kits, including Moonkit, were silent for a moment.

"Maybe it was a warning about something!" Moonkit suggested. "Like SkyClan attacking us or something!"

"That's minnow-brained," Leopardkit snorted. "We don't border SkyClan, duh."

"How would you know?" Moonkit growled. "You've never been outside the camp before."

"Blackfrost told me," Leopardkit meowed and held her head high in pride. Their father had told them lots about the life of a warrior; about hunting and border patrols; about Gatherings and even about the other Clans. PineClan lived under the pine trees, SkyClan lived on the moors with **no** trees, which Leopardkit found very hard to believe, and BrambleClan who lived under the oak and maple forests.

Moonkit snorted and said nothing in reply.

By now, Redstar had returned the medicine cat's den. He froze at the sight of the kits not far for a few heartbeats before continuing on his way.

"Maybe it was an omen," Ryekit whispered.

No one responded.

"Pinekit! Leopardkit! Ashkit! Time to come in!" Honeywhisker called from the nursery.

"Cedarkit, Lilykit, and Otterkit, you too!" Lightningstrike meowed.

"You too, Moonkit and Ryekit!" Softbelly yowled.

As the kits muttered under their breaths as they stumbled toward the nursery, Leopardkit couldn't help but look back toward their leader. Redstar was sitting by his den, watching the kits with interest. His gaze met Leopardkit's for a heartbeat, before he looked away. Still…Leopardkit could see the worry and confusion in his gaze.

_What's his problem? _

_Did we do something wrong?_

_What did he tell the medicine cat?_


	3. Chapter 2

Leopardkit awoke from her nap to the sound of voices. She looked up from her mother's nest and opened her jaws in a big yawn. She noticed that Pinekit and Ashkit were gone, and so were Cedarkit, Moonkit and Ryekit, too.

Leopardkit heard more voices and recognized the sound of her brother outside. She then heard Moonkit's voice, too. She slowly rose up, being careful not to disturb Honeywhisker, who was taking a nap, and crept toward the outside of the nursery.

As she grew closer, the voices grew louder.

_"That's minnow-brained!"_ a cat snapped.

It was Pinekit.

_"No it's not!"_

Leopardkit recognized that annoying squeal anywhere— Moonkit.

_"Shh! Be quiet, Moonkit!"_

_"I'm just saying, Cedarkit…"_

_"Well, you're being too loud."_

_"No I'm not!"_

_"Are too!"_

_"No!"_

_"Yes!"_

It was Ashkit who spoke next.

_"Guys, be quiet! The others might hear us!"_

_"Well who can't?" _

_"Shut up, Ryekit." _

_"Be nice, Moonkit."_

_"You're not my mother, Pinekit!"_

_"We're getting off topic, here."_

_ "Cedarkit's right. So…you should ask them."_

_ "What?! Why me, Ashkit?"_

_"Because you're the loudest, Moonkit. I'm sure they would hear you perfectly, even if you _whisper_."_

_"Why can't Ryekit ask them?"_

_"I don't want to do it!"_

_ "Don't worry, Ryekit, you won't."_

_"Then who will, Pinekit?"_

_"…Cedarkit?"_

_"Not in a million moons."_

_"I still think Moonkit should do it."_

_"SHUT UP, RYEKIT!"_

Leopardkit heard enough and stepped outside the nursery to face the bickering toms.

"You five are worse than starlings!" Leopardkit sneered, her green eyes gleaming. All five toms stared wide-eyed at her. "Just for the record, you were **extremely** loud, especially you, Moonkit."

Moonkit opened his jaws to say something, but Pinekit glared at him before he could.

"What are you chatting about anyway?" Leopardkit asked.

"We want to know if Redstar had an omen or anything like that and want to ask the medicine cats, but we're trying to decide who should ask," Ashkit explained.

"I think Moonkit should do it," Ryekit muttered.

Moonkit heard that and growled at his brother.

Before another argument erupted, Leopardkit angrily announced, "_I'll_ do it!"

"Really?" Ryekit asked.

"Just because I'm curious, too," Leopardkit meowed. "Who should I ask?"

"How about Quailpaw?" Cedarkit suggested. "He's so soft and awkward that he'll answer your question."

"Great idea, Cedarkit!" Pinekit meowed. "Look, there's Quailpaw right now!" He pointed with his striped tail at the medicine cat apprentice, who was carrying a bundle of herbs to the elders' den. "But, we need a distraction so Leopardkit can talk to him."

"Leave that to me!" Moonkit announced and dashed toward the pale gray tabby tom.

"What's he doing?" Cedarkit asked.

Moonkit threw himself at the medicine cat apprentice, yowling at the top of his tiny lungs, "**RABID KIT ATTAAAAAAAAAAACK!**" The gray tabby kit shoved the medicine cat apprentice to the ground at such force that Quailpaw fell and dropped his herbs.

"Moonkit!? What the heck was that for?!" Quailpaw growled, but before he could have an answer, Moonkit raced back to the nursery.

"You can thank be later," Moonkit said to his denmates before disappearing into the nursery.

Leopardkit exchanged awkward glances with her denmates before they all burst out laughing.

"Quickly!" Pinekit laughed. "Now's your chance!"

Leopardkit had to control herself before padding over to the medicine cat apprentice, who was busy trying to pick up his herbs.

"Can I help?" Leopardkit sweetly asked.

"I could use all the help I can get," Quailpaw meowed as Leopardkit helped pick up the herbs. "What was with Moonkit all of a sudden?"

"Uh…too much catnip, I guess?" Leopardkit guessed.

Quailpaw shrugged and went back to his herbs.

"By the way, Quailpaw…did Redstar tell you about an omen he had lately…?" Leopardkit asked the pale gray tabby tom.

Quailpaw's green eyes blinked in confusion. "Maybe…"

"What was it about?"

"I…I can't say."

"Why not?"

"Er…" Quailpaw quickly looked around. "Hey! I, uh, better deliver these herbs to the elders! Uh, see you later!" The apprentice quickly grabbed his herbs and dashed to the elders' den.

"Great," Leopardkit muttered and turned to walk away, but something caught her eye. On the ground a large shadow was moving around in a circular motion. None of the warriors were around, Leopardkit noticed, and saw that the shadow was circling around the fresh-kill pile.

_It's just a shadow…right?_

Suddenly, a large screech was heard from the sky. Leopardkit looked up and saw a huge dark brown bird with piercing golden eyes and large, sharp talons. It was swooping down in the direction of the fresh-kill pile.

Only its prey wasn't dead fish.

It was Ryekit.


	4. Chapter 3

"Ryekit!" Leopardkit yowled.

Her friend only stared in horror as the giant bird came closer and closer to him. He let out a wail of pain as the bird's talons wrapped around his tiny body. For a second, it seemed that Ryekit was a goner…until and unexpected hero leapt on the bird's leg and bite down _hard_. The bird screeched and released Ryekit from its deadly grip. Before it could fly away, Redstar launched himself at the bird, with Whitescar and Flyingcloud not far behind. The bird shook all three warriors off, and flew away.

"Ryekit!" Softbelly wailed and ran to her injured kit. Ryekit slowly got up as his mother furiously searched over him. Ryekit only had talon marks on his back with blood seeping from them. "Bubblespots!"

"I'm here," the medicine cat called and rushed over to the queen and her kit. She was a pale blue-gray she-cat with paler spots and gleaming blue eyes. Quailpaw followed her, while carrying a mouthful of herbs. He stopped and smiled at Leopardkit before rushing to his mentor.

_So…what a second…who saved Ryekit?_

"Pinekit!" Honeywhisker scolded and rushed to her kit to make sure he was alright. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry, Honeywhisker," Pinekit meowed, his amber eyes full of excitement. "Ryekit needed help so…I helped him."

_Pinekit saved Ryekit from the bird?!_

Before Honeywhisker could say anything else, Redstar came toward them.

"It seems like we have an unexpected hero among us today," Redstar meowed. "Well done, Pinekit."

Leopardkit then remembered that Redstar was Ryekit's father.

_Though he never paid much attention to them…_

She couldn't even remember once when Redstar visited the nursery, which was pretty sad. Leopardkit was glad her father visited them every day.

Blackfrost came up to his son; his bright green eyes were beaming with pride. "I am proud of you, Pinekit," he meowed and gave his son a lick on the head.

The anger in Honeywhisker's green eyes faded and was replaced with happiness.

Lilykit and Otterkit bounced around Pinekit.

"Did you really attacked that big bird?" Lilykit asked.

"Yup!" Pinekit boasted and puffed out his chest.

"Wow…" Otterkit sighed.

As Bubblespots took Ryekit into her den for further treatment, Redstar leapt on Hanging Branch and called a Clan meeting.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath Hanging Branch for a Clan meeting!" he yowled. Most of the cats were already in the clearing so they just bunched up below Hanging Branch.

"Clanmates," Redstar meowed. "Today and eagle attacked Ryekit, but thanks to Pinekit, he's alive."

"Pinekit! Pinekit! Pinekit!" his Clanmates cheered. Leopardkit yowled the loudest for her brother. She could see him next to Honeywhisker and Blackfrost, his eyes beaming with pride.

"But the question is," Redstar continued after the cheering stopped. "Why would there be an eagle out here? They should fear us, since our teeth and claws are a better match than their talons. Whitescar," he called to his deputy, "why weren't there enough warriors in camp?"

"I'm sorry, Redstar," Whitescar meowed. "With border and hunting patrols to do, we barely have enough cats."

"Well, from now on, I want more cats left in camp," Redstar meowed. He thought for a moment. "But…perhaps we could change that."

As the Clan whispered to each other in confusion, Redstar leapt down from Hanging Branch and stood in front of his Clanmates. "There are two apprentices ready to be made warriors today."

Littermates Steelpaw and Hawkpaw exchanged bewildered expressions before touching noses with their brother, Quailpaw. The two littermates ran up to their leader in excitement. Their parents, Rainfrost and Berrycloud, quickly groomed their fur for the ceremony.

Leopardkit could hardly keep her paws still.

_I get to witness my first warrior ceremony!_

"I, Redstar, leader of CreekClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these two apprentices," Redstar meowed. "They have trained hard to follow your noble code and I ask you to make them warriors in return. Steelpaw and Hawkpaw, do you promise to defend and protect your Clan and uphold the warrior code, even with the cost of your life?"

"I do," Steelpaw meowed solemnly, his paws hardly keeping still.

"I do," Hawkpaw meowed, almost a whisper.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names!" Redstar meowed. "Steelpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Steelclaw. CreekClan honors your fighting skills and courage and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to the new warrior's. Steelclaw licked his shoulder in return.

"Hawkpaw," Redstar went on the white she-cat. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Hawkfeather. CreekClan honors your patience and intelligence and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to Hawkfeather's. She licked his shoulder in return.

"Steelclaw! Hawkfeather! Steelclaw! Hawkfeather!" the Clan cheered, mostly from Rainfrost, Berrycloud and Quailpaw.

Quailpaw rushed up to his littermates and they all touched noses.

"You'll get your name soon, too," Steelclaw told his younger brother.

A flash of pain came across Quailpaw's eyes.

Leopardkit felt a flash of sympathy for the medicine cat apprentice. He wouldn't get his name for a few more moons now.

"And now," Redstar continued. "It's time to make more apprentices."

Leopardkit exchanged happy glances with her brothers.

_Could Redstar really be making us apprentices?!_

Her excitement was killed when Redstar announced that Cedarkit, Lilykit and Otterkit were to be made apprentices.

_Well, _that_ ruined the moment…_

"Cedarkit, Lilykit, and Otterkit have reached their sixth moon and are ready to learn the ways of the warrior code. Cedarkit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Cedarpaw! Viperstrike," Redstar called to the dark ginger tabby warrior. "You show great courage and skills in battle. Pass those qualities on to your new apprentice.

Cedarpaw quickly ran to his mentor and touched noses with him.

"Lilykit," Redstar went on. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Lilypaw! Icetalon, you show great compassion and patience. Strengthen those in your new apprentice."

Lilypaw bounced up to her mentor, Icetalon, a dark brown tabby she-cat with white paws, and touched noses with her.

"And finally, Otterkit," Redstar meowed. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Otterpaw! Wingflight, you are known for your quick thinking and speed. Teach those qualities to your new apprentice."

Otterpaw looked a litter uncertain as she touched noses with her new mentor, a white tom with a black-tipped tail.

"You'll do great," Wingflight assured her.

Otterpaw purred.

"Cedarpaw! Lilypaw! Otterpaw! Cedarpaw! Lilypaw! Otterpaw!" the Clan cheered.

"So jealous of you!" Pinekit told Cedarpaw.

"Yeah, now you have to change our stinky bedding!" Moonkit put in.

"You're old enough to change your own bedding!" Softbelly scolded.

"But I'm not an apprentice!" Moonkit wailed.

"Yes, but they can't do everything for you," Softbelly growled as Moonkit moaned.

"That'll be us soon," Ashkit whispered to Leopardkit.

"We'll be the best apprentices ever!" Leopardkit agreed with her brother.

_Nothing will stop me from being the best warrior _ever_!_


	5. Chapter 4

Leopardkit heard voices all around her.

_"From this moment on, you shall be known as Leopardnose!"_

My warrior name!

_Leopardkit heard other voices also. They were swirling around her in a blur, but she could make out a few of them._

_"There is a killer lurking around…"_

_"Honeywhisker!"_

_"You will always be in my heart, Leopardnose."_

_ "I love you, Leopardnose."_

_All these voices scared the young kit and she tried to get them to stop; to get them out of her head. Suddenly, the voices stopped and only one voice spoke next._

**_"Beware, Leopardkit, there are secrets hidden from you…"_**

Suddenly, Leopardkit woke up; her pelt was fluffed up and her claws were extended. She looked around and saw no one but her mother and her siblings. Softbelly and her kits were sleeping not far.

_It was just a dream…_

Her head still hurt from her dream and she decided to get some fresh air. She yawned and stretched before clambering out of her nest and into the crisp air. It was a little after dawn and the sun beamed into the camp. The trees' leaves began to change into marvelous colors. Leopardkit stared in awe at them.

"They're pretty, aren't they?" a voice meowed behind her. Leopardkit whirled around and saw Quailpaw staring at her.

"Don't do that!" Leopardkit growled.

"Do what?"

"Scare me like that!"

Quailpaw twitched his whiskers. "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"Well, don't do that again," Leopardkit growled and bared her teeth.

Quailpaw avoided her gaze and looked at Whitescar who was leading the dawn patrol with Viperstrike and Cedarpaw. "Did you have trouble sleeping?"

Leopardkit flinched. "How did you know?"

"You look tired and worried. Did you have a bad dream?"

"…maybe…"

Quailpaw tipped his head to one side. "Did you want to talk about it?"

Leopardkit shook her head.

"Well, if you want someone to talk to, I'm here," Quailpaw meowed. He grabbed the herbs that were in front of him.

Leopardkit didn't want him to leave. "What are they for?"

"They're tansy. They are for Jayspirit's cough," Quailpaw explained. "I'm supposed to take these to the storage and I'm supposed to sort the herbs Bubblespots collected yesterday."

As he prepared to leave, Leopardkit stepped forward. "Can I help?" Her paws itched to do something.

Quailpaw glared at her for a few heartbeats. "You're not trying to pry what Redstar's omen was, are you?"

"For now, no," Leopardkit meowed.

"Then…I guess so," Quailpaw meowed. He led her to the medicine cat's den, located in a hollow upright tree. "Bubblespots is gone at the moment, so I have to sort this myself."

Leopardkit was amazed at the scent of all the herbs that was in the tree.

_So many scents…_

"What are these?" Leopardkit asked and pointed to a bundle of large leaves with a tangy smell.

Quailpaw poked his head out from the storage. "Those are dock leaves. They are good for sore pads. Can you pass me those?"

Leopardkit carefully took the leaves in her jaws and gave them to Quailpaw, who placed them away.

"Great, now can you pass me the catmint? They are the ones who smell _really_ good!" Quailpaw asked.

Leopardkit soon found them, and with Quailpaw's help, put them away in the storage.

"What are these berries for?" Leopardkit asked once they came to a pile of purple and blue berries. "And what about these black tiny seeds?"

"The berries are juniper berries, good for bellyaches, strength, and to help ease cat's breathing," Quailpaw cited. "The seeds are poppy seeds to help make a cat fall asleep."

"I never knew medicine cats had to learn so much!" Leopardkit meowed. "How do you remember all these herbs?"

Quailpaw gave his chest a few quick licks. "It takes practice and a lot of patience. I love being a medicine cat and I can't wait for the moons to come."

"When do you think Bubblespots will give you your full name?" Leopardkit pressed.

"I…I don't know," Quailpaw meowed. "I became an apprentice 6 moons ago, and I hope it won't be long."

Leopardkit felt bad for him again and she gently nuzzled his ear. "I'm sure it won't be long, now."

Quailpaw's green eyes glowed. "Thanks, Leopardkit."

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath Hanging Branch for a Clan meeting!"

"Looks like Redstar's calling a Clan meeting," Quailpaw meowed. "Come on." He led Leopardkit outside the tree and saw most of the cats were already under the tree. Pinekit and Ashkit were already groomed and standing in front of Redstar.

"Leopardkit, there you are!" Honeywhisker scolded and rushed to her kit. "Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you! Just look at your pelt! What have you been doing? _Rolling in herbs_?"

"Sorry, Honeywhisker," Leopardkit meowed as her mother fiercely groomed her. Once she was done, Leopardkit hurriedly raced and joined her brothers in front of Redstar.

Before he began, Redstar looked around. "Where are Whitescar, Viperstrike and Cedarpaw?"

"They went out on dawn patrol earlier," Lightningstrike meowed.

"We must continue without them, then," Redstar meowed. "Clanmates, today three kits are 6 moons old and are ready to train as warriors. Pinekit, from this moment on, you shall be known as Pinepaw! Stripedwhisker, you are a warrior of pride and honesty. Pass those qualities on to your new apprentice as he trains to be a warrior."

Pinepaw touched noses with his new mentor. Stripedwhisker beamed with pride. He was a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

"I'll train you to be the best warrior you can be," Stripedwhisker told his apprentice.

"Ashkit," Redstar went on. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Ashpaw! Flyingcloud, you show great compassion and intelligence. Strengthen those qualities in your new apprentice."

Ashpaw touched noses with his mentor, Flyingcloud, a white tom with black stripes and purple eyes.

"And finally, Leopardkit," Redstar meowed. Leopardkit could hardly contain her excitement. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Leopardpaw! Blackfrost," he called to the pitch black warrior. "You are a warrior of skills and loyalty. Teach those qualities to your new apprentice as she learns to be a warrior."

A few cats were shocked that Redstar picked Blackfrost to be her mentor, since many parents did not mentor their kits.

But Leopardpaw did not mind. She hurriedly ran to her mentor and father and touched noses with him. Her father's green eyes beamed with pride.

"I won't go easy on you, just because you're my daughter," Blackfrost purred.

"I understand," Leopardpaw purred back.

"Pinepaw! Ashpaw! Leopardpaw! Pinepaw! Ashpaw! Leopardpaw!" the Clan cheered.

_I'm an apprentice! FINALLY!_

Honeywhisker padded up to them. "I'm so proud of all of you! I know you'll make great warriors one day."

"Of course they will," Blackfrost purred. "They are our kits, after all."

For some reason, Honeywhisker blinked at him for a few heartbeats before purring.

"Congratulations," Quailpaw meowed to Leopardpaw. "I look forward for you gathering moss for me!"

"Hey!" Leopardpaw meowed and gently shoved her friend. "You can gather your own moss!"

"I'm so jealous!" Moonkit wailed to Pinepaw. "I want to be an apprentice!"

"But that's in a whole other moon!" Ryekit meowed. He walked up to Leopardpaw. "I can't wait to train with you!"

"Er…me, too," Leopardpaw meowed.

_But that means I have to train with your annoying bother…_

Suddenly, the sound of rushing paw steps alerted all the Clan, along with the scent of fear and blood. They expected an intruder, but it was only Viperstrike. He was panting and his left ear was torn and had a scratch on his back and face.

"Whitescar's dead!"


	6. Chapter 5

_"Whitescar's dead!"_

Leopardpaw stared in horror as Rainfrost and Stripedwhisker brought Whitescar's body into the camp. A soft drizzle of rain had begun once Viperstrike came back with the horrid news. Softbelly had brought her kits into the nursery, but was keeping an eye out from the outside.

The rest of the Clan gathered around Whitescar's body and around Cedarpaw and Viperstrike. His Clanmates began asking them questions about what happened, when Redstar silenced them.

"Stop asking questions all at once!" Redstar growled. He walked up to Viperstrike. "Tell us, what happened?"

Cedarpaw shivered for a moment, and Viperstrike rested his tail on the young apprentice's shoulder.

"We didn't see them…they all came too fast…" Cedarpaw murmured his amber eyes fixed on nothing.

"Who?" Redstar asked. "Who did you see?"

"We don't know!" Cedarpaw burst out. His mother, Lightningstrike, went up to him and gave him a comforting lick.

"We were doing the border patrol by the PineClan border," Viperstrike meowed. "We marked the border, and didn't smell anything out of the ordinary…but then we heard rustling. We then scented a strange scent…I don't know what it was…it might have been Clan but…but then they hit us. Cats. Deadly cats. They struck us so fast, and without any mercy. Then…just like that…they vanished. That's when we found Whitescar's body. They…murdered him!" Viperstrike choked out. The brave warrior was shaking badly and Leopardpaw felt bad for him.

"Alright, that's enough," Bubblespots meowed and came up to the two injured cats. "Redstar, these two have been through enough torture and I need to check their wounds before anyone can ask them what happened again."

Redstar nodded in agreement.

"May I come, too?" Lightningstrike gingerly asked and wrapped her tail around her kit.

Bubblespots nodded and together the two she-cats led the injured toms to the medicine cat's den.

Leopardpaw was about to turn to Quailpaw to ask him what he thought, but he was gone. He was following Bubblespots to the hollow tree, but turned around smiled at Leopardpaw before disappearing into shadow of the tree.

"What are we going to do about this?" Flyingcloud growled, his purple eyes blazing with anger. "We can't just sit here and do nothing! We must attack the cats that killed my brother!"

"Yeah!" Wingflight growled and padded up next to his brother. "Whitescar's death shall be avenged!"

More cats agreed with the two brothers.

"PineClan must've killed Whitescar!" Stripedwhisker yowled.

"They want to weaken us to gain more territory!" Rainfrost growled.

"We must attack!" Icetalon hissed.

Redstar raised his tail for silence. "What proof do we have that a PineClan warrior killed Whitescar?"

"They were by the PineClan border," Flyingcloud growled. "That's enough for me."

Redstar glared at the white and black striped warrior. "I don't believe a PineClan warrior killed Whitescar."

"Then who did?" Wingflight demanded.

"A group of rogues, maybe?" Hawkfeather suggested.

"Yeah, right!" Steelclaw growled. "We would have known if rogues lived outside our territory!"

"So what are we going to do then?" Honeywhisker pressed her leader.

For a few heartbeats, Redstar did not respond. He kept staring at Whitescar's body. Leopardpaw remembered hearing from the elders how great friends Redstar and Whitescar were. That's the reason he chose him as his deputy.

_What will Redstar do? Should he go with his Clanmates and help avenge his best friend's death or go against them and wonder who did kill Whitescar?_

"We will attack PineClan at dawn," Redstar meowed, his amber eyes blazing with anger.

Yowls of agreement arose from the Clan.

"Will all apprentices be fighting?" Blackfrost asked.

"Leopardpaw and Pinepaw will come tomorrow, along with Otterpaw and Lilypaw," Redstar meowed. "But for now…a deputy must be chosen." Redstar raised his head high and faced the cloudy sky. "I say these words so that Whitescar may hear and approve my choice. Blackfrost will be the new deputy of CreekClan."

Blackfrost stared in shock at his leader. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Redstar meowed. "I admire your courage and patience and I know you will one day lead CreekClan well."

Blackfrost nodded after a few heartbeats and replied, "I promise to help lead this Clan the best I can and I would be honored to be alongside with you as CreekClan's deputy."

"Blackfrost! Blackfrost! Blackfrost!" the Clan cheered.

Honeywhisker came up to Blackfrost and pressed her muzzle in his cheek and purred happily as the two twined their tails together.

"Our father is the Clan deputy!" Pinepaw cheered and leapt on top of his father. Blackfrost playfully growled and knocked Pinepaw off. Ashpaw purred and touched noses with his father, and Leopardpaw did the same.

"My father is my mentor and is Clan deputy!" Leopardpaw purred. "That's so cool!"

"For now, everyone get a good night rest and we'll leave tomorrow." Redstar ordered.

* * *

Honeywhisker tried to sleep that night, but she couldn't. Her dreams were haunted by her former mate. She could see him everywhere. She loved Blackfrost more than anything, but a small part of her heart still longed for her former mate.

_What happens if I meet him in the battle? What if he tries to hurt Blackfrost? He knows that he is the 'father' of his kits but…what happens if my kits find out the truth?_


	7. Chapter 6

Leopardpaw woke with a jolt in the morning. She quickly looked outside the apprentices' den and saw that Redstar and a couple of other warriors were already awake. Blackfrost and Honeywhisker were among them.

"Come on!" she told her brother, Pinepaw. "We're leaving soon!"

Pinepaw was immediately awake and his striped tail swished back and forth. "I can't wait for the battle!"

"But we won't be fighting it, minnow-brain," Leopardpaw meowed and gently shoved her brother. Pinepaw shoved her back and soon the two kits were wrestling in everyone's nests.

"Hey, knock it off, you two!" Blackfrost ordered and poked his head into the den. "There's a battle to be won."

Once the two littermates quit fighting, Ashpaw asked his father, "You don't think a PineClan cat really killed Whitescar, do you?"

"I don't know what to think, Ashpaw," Blackfrost meowed. "But…whoever killed my Clanmate—" He dug his claws in the ground. "—will be punished. Come, Redstar's ordering the patrol."

The Clan deputy led the five apprentices—minus Cedarpaw because of his wounds—outside the den and under Hanging Branch, where Redstar was naming the cats who would be on the patrol.

"I want Blackfrost to come, of course," Redstar meowed. "And Stripedwhisker, Wingflight, Honeywhisker, Icetalon, Hawkfeather, Steelclaw, Pinepaw, Leopardpaw, Otterpaw and Lilypaw."

Leopardpaw's heart thumped loudly as Redstar called her name.

Bubblespots and Quailpaw came around and gave herbs to everyone.

"These herbs taste yucky, but they will give you strength," Quailpaw explained to Leopardpaw.

Leopardpaw tried not to gag as she swallowed the herbs. She caught sight of her brother making a face as he ate his herbs.

Quailpaw touched his muzzle to Leopardpaw's ear. "Be careful," he murmured.

"Of course," Leopardpaw promised. His tail touched her cheek as he left and passed out the other herbs to the rest of the patrol.

"I wish I could go with you," Ashpaw told his littermates and touched noses with them.

"We wish you were, too," Pinepaw meowed.

"We'll swipe a PineClan cat for you!" Leopardpaw chirped.

"Time to go!" Redstar meowed.

Leopardpaw flashed a last glance at Quailpaw before following Redstar out of the fern tunnel.

* * *

Leopardpaw dashed after her Clanmates with Pinepaw at her side. She could make out her father next to Redstar at the head of the group.

They passed by the trees with their colorful leaves. They soon came to the creek, for what CreekClan was named after, and Leopardpaw tried not to wince as the cold water went up to her belly fur.

Morning birds gently sang their song as the cats continued on their way. Soon, pine trees loomed in the distance.

_PineClan territory._

Leopardpaw's heart thumped faster as they grew closer to enemy territory. She thought it was so loud her father could hear it from the front as they passed over the border.

"Did you see that?" Otterpaw whispered to Leopardpaw.

"See what?"

"A flash of black and white in the distance," Otterpaw meowed. "Over there." She pointed with her tail in the direction of the color she saw. Leopardpaw only saw pine trees.

"I don't see it," Leopardpaw meowed. "It must be a bird or something."

Otterpaw slowly nodded, but Leopardpaw could tell she did not completely convince the ginger and white tabby she-cat.

Soon, a tall wall of brambles and pine trees came into view. Strong scents of many strange cats came upon Leopardpaw.

_PineClan._

"Pinepaw and Leopardpaw," Redstar meowed to the two apprentices. "You two will remain here and send for messages if needed."

Pinepaw opened his mouth to object, but Honeywhisker silenced him with a look.

"Yes, Redstar," both littermates meowed.

Redstar nodded and slowly led his cats into the camp.

"I can't just sit here while my Clanmates are getting their pelts ripped off!" Pinepaw meowed and began to crawl toward the wall.

"Where are you going?" Leopardpaw asked her brother and followed him.

"Getting a better view of the battle," Pinepaw meowed. He found a small opening in the wall and crawled in with Leopardpaw behind him. They got a perfect view of the camp. The CreekClan cats stood in the clearing…but with them stood lines PineClan warriors.

"It's an ambush!" Pinepaw whispered to Leopardpaw.

"They knew we were in their territory this whole time!" Leopardpaw whispered fiercely back.

A dark brown tabby tom stood at the head of the PineClan cats. His green eyes were fierce and his neck fur rose.

"How _dare_ you trespass on PineClan territory?!" the tom hissed. "Though, it's not like we never knew you were on our territory." He flicked his tail to a black and white cat among the ranks. "We will tell you _once_, and _only_ once— leave our territory _now_."

"Not until we punish those who killed Whitescar!" Wingflight growled.

Redstar silenced him with a look.

"_Whitescar_?" the tom asked. He exchanged a look with a dark ginger tabby tom that had long front teeth. "Maybe we do have something to do with him," the tom smirked.

Wingflight's fur puffed up and he bared his teeth into a snarl.

"PineClan, drive these intruders **out**!" the tom ordered.

"CreekClan, attack!" Redstar yowled.

All of a sudden, the enemy's camp was full of fighting cats; so many that Leopardpaw could hardly figure out who was who.

Redstar was tussling with the dark brown tabby tom. Claws were flying and teeth scraped teeth.

Blackfrost yowled as the dark ginger tabby tom bit his shoulders with his long front teeth. Honeywhisker growled and tackled the ginger tom to the ground, but was thrown off by a black tom with amber eyes.

Stripedwhisker cried in pain as two toms—one a long-haired brown tabby and the other long-haired golden tabby—clawed him blow after blow.

Steelclaw and Hawkfeather fought side-by-side as two warriors—one a black and white tom and the other a small, cream-colored she-cat—forced them back.

Wingflight wrestled with a black tom and yowled as the tom bit his black-tipped tail. Leopardpaw could see her Clanmate's white pelt was covered in blood.

Otterpaw and Lilypaw were being beaten by four apprentices, which was totally an unfair fight.

A tortoiseshell and white she-cat pinned Icetalon down. As Stripedwhisker tried to help her, he was knocked down by a dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.

_We're losing!_

"We've got to do something!" Leopardpaw whispered to her brother.

"Yeah, I know," Pinepaw meowed and ran into the fight.

"Pinepaw, wait!" Leopardpaw yowled and dashed after her brother.

_Minnow-brain! We don't know any moves!_

But Pinepaw did not care. He launched himself at a dark ginger apprentice, who was fighting Otterpaw, and the two wrestled on the ground.

Leopardpaw growled and slashed at a pale brown tabby apprentice. The apprentice snarled at her and swiped at her ear. Pain flared in Leopardpaw's ear and it stung like fire. Leopardpaw hissed and slashed at the apprentice, leapt back, and slashed again. Soon the apprentice growled and dashed off to lick her wounds.

Leopardpaw looked around again and saw that the other apprentices were doing well in their battles. Pinepaw, Leopardpaw notices, was on fire. He kept slashing and slashing at every enemy cat he saw, despite the fact that he didn't know any official battle moves.

A sudden yowl caught Leopardpaw's attention. The dark brown tabby tom that Redstar had been fighting stood over his body with a triumphant gaze. Redstar laid ominously still.

_No!_

She saw her father race toward the dark brown tabby cat and shoved him away. He quickly glanced over his leader before seeing Leopardpaw.

"Leopardpaw! What are you doing here?" he asked, but quickly shook his head. "Never mind that! Help me defend Redstar!"

"Is he okay?" Leopardpaw quickly asked her father.

"He's losing a life," Blackfrost quickly meowed as he slashed away the dark ginger tabby warrior with long front teeth.

Leopardpaw copied her father as she slashed away another apprentice but kept an eye on Redstar. She then realized something.

_I never saw Honeywhisker!_

She quickly let her guard down and hurriedly looked around for a familiar cream tabby pelt. Leopardpaw saw her mother wrestling with a black tom, but was doing fine.

Suddenly, sharp pain filled Leopardpaw's back and her world went blank.

The last thing she heard was the sound of her name.

_"Leopardpaw!"_


	8. Chapter 7

_"Leopardpaw?"_

_"Leopardpaw, wake up!"_

**_"…LEOPARDPAW! WAKE UP!"_**

A sudden force slammed on Leopardpaw's back and she jolted awake.

"What?!" she yowled and came face to face with Pinepaw, Ashpaw, and Quailpaw.

"Pinepaw!" Bubblespots came into view. "Let her rest!"

"Sorry!" Pinepaw winced.

"How do you feel little one?" Bubblespots asked.

"I little sore." That was a lie. Her back was aching like crazy. "Wh-What happened?"

"A PineClan cat attacked you while you were protecting Redstar," Ashpaw explained.

"You lost so much blood that you were knocked out," Pinepaw meowed.

"Blackfrost saved you from dying. He carried you back to camp," Bubblespots meowed.

"Oh. Did we win?" she asked.

"We did!" meowed Ashpaw. At that moment, Blackfrost came in.

"Is she alright?" he asked. Leopardpaw could hear the wariness in his voice.

"She just woke up," Quailpaw assured the Clan deputy.

"Good. We don't want to lose another cat," Blackfrost meowed and gently nuzzled his daughter. "Thank StarClan you are safe."

Leopardpaw looked at her father in confusion.

"What do you mean 'another cat'? Did anyone die?" she asked.

At the moment she finished her question, everyone went silent.

Blackfrost leaned closer to her. "Honeywhisker died," he whispered sadly.

_Honeywhisker's…dead?_

"What happened!?" she demanded.

It was Blackfrost who answered.

"Once she saw you being attacked, she tried to help you but Ravenwing pounced and injured her badly. Once we got into camp, she died from blood loss from a gash in her throat," he explained.

"No!" she whispered and laid her head on her paws.

"Leave her be," Bubblespots meowed and ushered the cats out from the den. She looked at Quailpaw. "I have to check on the other cats, now. Will you watch over Leopardpaw?"

When Quailpaw nodded, she left the den with a wave of her tail.

Quailpaw touched her ear with his muzzle. "Are you okay?"

"No!" Leopardpaw cried. "Honeywhisker is dead! I'll never see her again!"

"You'll see her again, Leopardpaw," Quailpaw soothed. "She's in StarClan now. You'll see her in your dreams."

Leopardpaw shivered for a moment. "Do you promise?"

"I promise," Quailpaw purred.

Leopardpaw let out a slight purr. "Thanks, Quailpaw. You always know what to say. How do you do it?"

The medicine cat apprentice gave his chest a few quick licks. "It comes with the job, I guess."

Leopardpaw purred again and curled up in the nest she was in. She felt relieved that Honeywhisker had not truly left her, but was watching over her—according to Quailpaw. And if he was wrong, she'd be sure to smack him good on the head.

As she fell asleep, she was aware of the fact that Quailpaw was replacing the cobwebs on her back and giving her wounds a good lick. Leopardpaw let out a slight purr before falling fast asleep.


	9. Chapter 8

"Evening patrol," Blackfrost asked the patrol—comprising of Viperstrike, Steelclaw, Cedarpaw and Ryepaw. "Have anything to report?"

"Yes, actually," Steelclaw meowed. "We came across some rogue scent when we marked the PineClan border." His gray tabby fur rose on his neck. "About three or four of them, judging from the scent."

Viperstrike let out a low growl and flicked his right ear, which was torn. "I bet a moon of dawn patrols that I recognized one of the rogue's scent. They must have been the same ones who've ambushed Whitescar, Cedarpaw and I two moons ago!"

By now, Redstar had heard the report and came up to stand next to his deputy. Claw marks bore upon his throat where Rumblestar, the leader of PineClan, had brutally attacked him.

"Hmm…" the dark red tabby leader meowed. "If these rogues were the same ones who killed Whitescar, then we must take caution. For now on, no one must go alone and not after dark, and apprentices shall not leave camp without a warrior."

"I'll alert the other cats later," Blackfrost meowed. He looked at the sun, which was beginning to slowly set and then to Ryepaw. "Have you seen Leopardpaw lately?"

Ryepaw nodded his head. "I haven't seen her since this sunhigh."

"Hmph," Blackfrost sighed. "Where could she have gotten off to…?"

* * *

"Leopardpaw?" Quailpaw asked the forest. "Okay, _ha-ha_, you win, very funny, now where are you?"

The pale gray tabby medicine cat stared into the forest; his ears pricked for the slightest sound of his friend. The setting sun made gave the slim trees an eerie shadow and an owl hooted in the distance. Though no one was near him, he had a slight feeling he was being watched.

_Where could she be?_

Rushed paw steps sounded behind him and Quailpaw spun around, only to see no body. He took a few paw steps back and suddenly a cat leapt on his back and raked a paw at his ear. Quailpaw tried to fight back, but since he's a medicine cat he didn't know any battle moves. He tried swiping left and right at the mysterious cat, but he kept missing. The cat tackled him and pinned him down. Quailpaw kept trying to fight back, but only when he heard a familiar _mrrow_ did he stop.

"Leopardpaw!" Quailpaw meowed. "Get off me!"

"Yeah right!" Leopardpaw purred and sat on him. "You're no match for a _warrior_!"

"For your information, you aren't a warrior yet," Quailpaw corrected.

Leopardpaw flicked her tail over his muzzle. "I _will_ be soon!" She thrust her face forward until she was a whisker-length from his nose. "And I was a warrior now and you were an enemy cat, you'd be in _big_ trouble!"

Her bright green eyes sparkled with amusement and Quailpaw soon found himself drowned in them as her sweet scent swirled around him…

_What am I doing?_

Quailpaw quickly shook that thought out from his mind and meowed, "Well it's not my fault I don't know how to fight."

"That's a bummer," Leopardpaw meowed and leapt off him. "I could teach you who to fight…that is…if you want me to."

Quailpaw blinked for a moment. "You'd really do that?"

Leopardpaw shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

"Thanks, Leopardpaw."

"No problem. Want to meet up sometime tomorrow for your _training_?"

"Anytime, _mentor_," Quailpaw joked.

Leopardpaw let out an _mrrow_ of amusement.

As the sun disappeared over the trees, Quailpaw padded over the few herbs he had collected. "We probably should collect more chickweed to prepare for leaf-bare." He looked up at the falling leaves. "And we probably should gather some more while they are here."

Leopardpaw padded up to him and helped pick the almond-shaped leaves off the tall, green stalks. As Quailpaw joined her, he couldn't help but notice how their pelts lightly brushed each other's. When their pelts accidently touched, a hot flare surged through Quailpaw's pelt.

Leopardpaw shivered for a moment as a cold breeze all of a sudden surged around them.

"Cold?" Quailpaw asked.

Leopardpaw nodded. Quailpaw gingerly allowed his pelt to brush hers more as he shared his warmth with his Clanmate. "Better?"

"Better," Leopardpaw confirmed and slightly leaned on him.

"I think that's enough now," Quailpaw meowed and quickly changed the subject. "We should head back to camp."

As Leopardpaw nodded and as they both leaned down to grab some herbs, and sudden force pinned down both apprentices with thorn-sharp claws. Both apprentices glanced up from the crushed herbs and saw a shadowy cat with glaring eyes and a white spot on his back. The strange cat bore his teeth at the two apprentices and his fang glowed in the coming night.

"Let-Let us go!" Quailpaw growled.

"Silence, young one!" the black tom hissed and dug his claws deeper into the two apprentices' flesh.

Leopardpaw let out a low growl and swiftly bit the black cat's forepaw. The cat yelped in pain and released the two apprentices. Both Clanmates swiftly rose to their paws; Leopardpaw's ears were drawn back, her fur rose and her teeth bore into a snarl. Quailpaw actually thought she looked dangerous. He tried to copy her to intimidate the shadowy cat.

"Get out!" Leopardpaw spat. "You're on CreekClan territory!"

_How come whenever she talks to an enemy cat, her voice sounds so brave while mine is as feeble as a kit's?_

The tom slowly licked his chest fur. "Make me, _she-cat_."

Leopardpaw hissed and as fast as lightning, swiped at the tom. But the black cat was prepared for her attack and slashed at her right cheek. Leopardpaw yelped and fell back to Quailpaw.

"Leopardpaw!" Quailpaw meowed with worry. "Does it hurt?"

"A-A little," Leopardpaw winced. A little bit of blood dripped from her wound and her green eyes flashed in pain.

An eruption of anger happened inside Quailpaw. He growled and faced the strange tom. He stood protectively in front of Leopardpaw and fluffed out his fur to twice its size. He bore his white teeth and drew back his ears.

"_Get out of my territory,"_ Quailpaw growled.

"Huh," the tom snickered. "Again, make—"

Before he could finish that statement, Quailpaw leapt at the intruder and slashed at his cheek. The tom yowled and tried to leap at Quailpaw, but the medicine cat was too fast for him. He had seen Leopardpaw doing this move to her littermates before in the training hollow (he had spied on her earlier).

Soon, the tom was tired out from chasing Quailpaw. Quailpaw did one final move and rammed into the black tom. The shadowy cat fell to the ground with a _thump_ before scrambling up.

"This may be it, _medicine cat_," the tom snarled. "But we _will_ meet again. I can guarantee that!" He turned to leave, but before he left, he stopped and turned around. "My Clan has already claimed one CreekClan life. It desires for more." With that, the black tom with a white spot on his back and green eyes disappeared.

_Wait a second…? Did he say Clan? What Clan? He didn't smell like any Clan I know of...He KILLED WHITESCAR?!_

"Leopardpaw!" Quailpaw meowed, suddenly remembering his injured friend. "Are you alright?"

"No, are _you_ alright?!" Leopardpaw meowed and swiftly checked his fur for injuries. "You fought like _LionClan_ against that cat! You fought for me." Her green eyes sparkled. "That cat would've killed me like he probably did to Whitescar if you hadn't fought him. Quailpaw, you saved _me_."

Quailpaw tried to avoid her sparkling gaze and gave his chest fur a few quick licks. "It was nothing, really. I just used some of the moves I've seen you do."

"So…you've been _spying_ on me?" Leopardpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement.

_Frog dung!_

"Uh…no…I-I meant I've just…seen you do some of the moves…back at camp…that's all!" Quailpaw stammered.

Leopardpaw's green eyes danced like little green pools as she gently pressed her non-injured muzzle against Quailpaw's. After a few heartbeats, she took a step back.

"We better get those herbs back to camp and report to Redstar what happened," Leopardpaw meowed and grabbed a jaw-ful of herbs. After a few heartbeats, Quailpaw forced himself to move and grabbed the other pile as the two walked home.

* * *

On the other side of CreekClan territory, far away from any Clan, a gray tom with darker paws slept soundly on his tree branch. The sound of scrabbling claws awoke him and he opened one golden eye and saw his deputy sitting next to him on the branch.

"Full Moon is here," the dark red tabby tom reported. "He has some news to share."

"Send him up, Blood Stain," the tom meowed without looking up. Blood Stain nodded and crawled down the tree. The tom yawned and stretched out his claws. He sat up and stared at his Clan. Only a few warriors were awake at this time. Blazing Fire, a ginger tabby tom, nuzzled his mate, Mossy Tree, an expecting brown tabby, as the two shared a rat amongst themselves. Dirty Ground and Dark Rocks wrestled each other and drew blood as their parents, Stormy Sky and Gray Dawn, watched proudly not far.

The leader puffed out his chest. Their former leader, Scar Belly, would've been proud how far they had gone since his death. Their Clan was just as strong as any other Clan.

_Soon, we will make ourselves know to the Clans. _

Scrabbling claws against bark had brought the leader back to the present. A black tom with a white spot on his back scrabbled up next to his leader. He didn't say anything for a few heartbeats.

"Speak, Full Moon," the tom growled.

Full Moon hesitated for a moment. "I was…exploring the CreekClan territory, Smoke Claw," the black and white tom meowed. "I…came upon two young cats."

"Were they terminated?"

"Uh…no...Smoke Claw."

"Why _weren't _they?!" Smoke Claw yowled and thrust his face in the young tom's muzzle. "You know I ordered that all cats that see us must be terminated! Remember that white cat?"

Full Moon suddenly remembered what happened that day. He, Blood Stain, Blazing Fire and Gray Dawn had been exploring the territory when they came across a patrol, with Whitescar leading it. The four cats were hiding when Whitescar spotted them. Before he could warn his Clanmates, Blood Stain had ordered an attack and they killed the white tom while severely injuring the other two cats without making them known. Blood Stain had killed the white cat himself.

"I…I remember, Smoke Claw," Full Moon meowed.

"Now," Smoke Claw snarled. "Now those two cats will tell their Clanmates about us not doubt and now my plan is _ruined_! Do you know the punishment for breaking a leader's word?"

"Y-Yes, Smoke Claw," Full Moon meowed. His green eyes were wide with alarm and fear scent came off him in heavy blows.

"I will be gentle on you, this time," Smoke Claw meowed. "You will only receive the Savage Bite. Come, let us begin this punishment."

Smoke Claw called the Clan to the punishment and they all surrounded the young tom. Blood Stain had been given the job of doing to Savage Bite to Full Moon, and he clearly enjoyed being offered such a _high offer_. As Blood Stain circled around Full Moon, he curled his lip into a snarl. Full Moon was shaking in his pelt as Blood Stain swiftly dashed forward sunk his teeth into Full Moon's hind leg.

The birds were awaken from their sleep and quickly flew away as a cat's yowl of pain echoed in the night


	10. Chapter 9

"Is Redstar allowing you to come to the Gathering tonight?" Pinepaw asked his denmate, Cedarpaw, as all the apprentices were eating fresh-kill.

Cedarpaw took a huge bite of a mouse. "Yup," he meowed and swallowed his mouthful. "You?"

"Yup!" Pinepaw meowed. He looked over to his sister, who was blankly staring at her water vole. "What about you, Leopardpaw?"

Leopardpaw did not answer her brother, but kept starring at her fresh-kill and letting her mind wander.

"**LEOPARDPAW**!" Pinepaw growled, snapping his sister out of her trance.

"Huh? What!" Leopardpaw growled back, escaping her trance.

"Is Redstar letting you come to the Gathering?" Pinepaw asked blandly, annoyed.

"Of course!" Leopardpaw snapped, causing the rest of the apprentices to stare at her.

"Are you alright, Leopardpaw?" Ryepaw asked her.

"I'm fine," Leopardpaw meowed. "I better get Quailpaw and Bubblespots something to eat," she meowed as she quickly changed the subject. She grabbed two mice from the pile and quickly went into the medicine cats' den. Bubblespots and Quailpaw were sorting herbs. Quailpaw immediately looked up when he recognized her scent.

"I brought you two something to eat," Leopardpaw meowed and dropped the two mice.

"Thanks, Leopardpaw," Bubblespots meowed and ate her mouse.

Quailpaw, on the other paw, padded up to his Clanmate and gave her cheek a good sniff. "How has your wound been doing?"

"It's fine, Quailpaw," Leopardpaw assured him. "You worry too much."

She was aware that Bubblespots had stop eating her mouse and was glaring at the two apprentices.

"Well…if you are absolutely sure…" Quailpaw meowed and glanced back at Bubblespots. "You better go," he whispered.

Leopardpaw nodded and quickly left the hollow tree. As she left, she was aware of growling coming from the den.

* * *

Redstar led the Clan deeper in to the forest toward the Gathering Place, with Blackfrost beside him. Bubblespots was also there and so was Quailpaw, who was looking rather glum at the moment.

Behind the Clan leader was Rainfrost, Stripedwhisker, Viperstrike, Softbelly, Hawkfeather, Steelclaw, Leopardpaw, Pinepaw, Cedarpaw, Ryepaw and Moonpaw, all looking excited for the Gathering.

Soon, the ground began to slope downward and a large tree was seen with the creek traveling past it. The full moon made the creek shine silver and sparkle.

With a flick of his tail, Redstar led the cats downward to the tall oak. The scents of BrambleClan and PineClan filled the air as the CreekClan cats mingled with the other two Clans.

Leopardpaw quickly ran down the slope with excitement. She loved going to the Gatherings! It was always so interesting to see the Clans and learn from them!

But, she ran too quickly and slipped down the slope. She crashed into a gray tom with black stripes and both cats fell down.

"Leopardpaw!" Ryepaw called after her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Leopardpaw growled and stood up. "Hey, Moonpaw!" she hissed. "Watch where you're going, alright?"

"_Moonpaw_?" the tom growled. "Who's Moonpaw? I'm Jaggedlightning, deputy of BrambleClan!"

"Whoops!" Leopardpaw winced. "Sorry! I thought you were some other annoying fur-ball."

Jaggedlightning bared his teeth and snarled.

"Leopardpaw," Ryepaw whispered and gently nudged his friend. "We better get out of here."

"Jaggedlightning!" a long-haired brown she-cat with golden eyes growled and walked up to the three cats. "Leave those apprentices alone! The Gathering is going to start soon."

"Yes, Kinkstar," Jaggedlightning meowed and nodded his head solemnly. As his leader walked away, he glared at the two apprentices before following his leader.

"Can't do anything without his leader supervising him, huh?" Leopardpaw sneered to herself.

"Don't talk like that!" Ryepaw warned. "I heard from Jayspirit that Jaggedlightning's one fierce tom! He's never been defeated in battle before and all his Clanmates respect him."

"I don't believe any of it," Leopardpaw meowed.

A dark brown tabby tom leapt on top of one of the branches and yowled, "Let the Gathering begin!"

"Who put him in charge?" Stripedwhisker retorted, but no cat answered him.

Redstar and Kinkstar quickly joined the PineClan leader, Rumblestar. The deputies sat under the tree to the left. Blackfrost was there, and so were Jaggedlightning from BrambleClan and Foxtooth, a dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes and long front teeth, from PineClan. The medicine cats sat also under the tree to the right, among the tangled roots. Bubblespots and Quailpaw were there, and were Twigcrack, a pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, Chervilpaw, a pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes from PineClan, and Waspwing, a gray and white tom with blue eyes and Shatterpaw, a dark gray she-cat with large darker patches of fur and blue eyes from BrambleClan.

As Rumblestar was about to open his mouth to report, a long-haired brown tabby tom with amber eyes stood on his hind paws.

"Wait, Rumblestar," the warrior told his leader. "SkyClan is not here yet."

"Leoparddash is right," a black and white tom with green eyes meowed. "We cannot start without them."

"Leoparddash and Badgermask are right, Rumblestar," Foxtooth called from the deputies.

"Okay…so _where_ are they?" Rumblestar asked out loud. After a few seconds pasted, Jaggedlightning spoke out.

"If Swiftstar can't be bothered to bring her Clan to the Gathering _on time_, then that's their problem, not ours," Jaggedlightning retorted.

A few cats slowly nodded with the BrambleClan deputy.

"Jaggedlightning!" Kinkstar growled. "Be quiet!"

The tom opened his jaws to say something, but thought better of it.

"I hope we don't have to deal with _him_ when he becomes deputy," Leopardpaw whispered to Ryepaw.

Ryepaw nodded in agreement. "I heard Kinkstar has _three_ lives left! Guess we won't have to wait long."

"_Joy_," Leopardpaw meowed sarcastically.

A yowl broke the silence between leader-and-deputy and a large group of cats were seen on the horizon.

"Look!" a ginger tabby and white she-cat with green eyes, Peachspots, yowled and stood on her hind paws. "SkyClan's here!"

A pale tabby she-cat swiftly ran down the slope and quickly leapt up the tree. She nodded to the other three leaders before sitting down.

Jaggedlightning gave the SkyClan deputy, Frostpool—a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes—a hard look before turning his back to her.

On the other **paw**, Magicsong, a cream-colored tabby she-cat with blue eyes, and Icewind, a short-haired white tom with amber eyes, joined the medicine cats and received friendly mews.

"Now that we are _all_ here," Rumblestar meowed and stared at the SkyClan leader. "I'll start. PineClan is doing well this leaf-fall. We are keeping our borders strong and we will drive out _any_ intruders out." He glared at Redstar. "We have one new warrior tonight—Frogfoot!"

A dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes held his head tall as the Clans cheered his warrior name.

"Frogfoot! Frogfoot! Frogfoot!"

Swiftstar's turn was next.

"Before I begin, I would like to say that SkyClan was delayed because we came across a badger on the way here. We had to bring our wounded back to camp, have Magicsong and Icewind patch them up, and then come here to the Gathering." She looked at Rumblestar. "We believe it went to your territory, Rumblestar."

The PineClan leader nodded his head. "Thank you for telling us that, Swiftstar. I'll alert my patrols in the morning." He looked down to his deputy, Foxtooth, who nodded in return.

"Now," Swiftstar meowed. "We have two apprentices who were made into warriors a few sunrises ago—Ivystep and Echowing!"

"Ivystep! Echowing! Ivystep! Echowing!"

A gray and white she-cat w/ blue eyes and a gray she-cat w/ green eyes both ducked in embarrassment when their names were cheered.

"We also have three new apprentices," Swiftstar continued on. "Hazelpaw, Tadpolepaw and Sootpaw are training as warriors. Silentbreeze gave birth to Flintstrike's three kits last moon— Flashkit, Featherkit and Fuzzykit."

It was Redstar who reported next.

"CreekClan is doing well this leaf-fall," he reported. "We have several apprentices in training and many strong warriors. The creek has not frozen yet, so prey is plentiful in the creek."

Kinkstar went next, after Redstar's short report.

"BrambleClan is also doing well, despite the weather turning cold," she began. "We have two new warriors tonight among us—Leafflight and Mousefoot!"

"Leafflight! Mousefoot! Leafflight! Mousefoot!"

Two warriors, one a dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes and the other a small brown tom with amber eyes, had their amber eyes shining with pride.

"We also have two new apprentices," Kinkstar continued. "Shatterpaw has chosen to be an apprenticed medicine cat, while Tidepaw chooses the path of a warrior."

As the Clan leaders were about to leap down the tree, a yowl filled the air. All the Clan cats looked up toward the slope and saw a single cat stand on the horizon. Suddenly, more cats joined him until the whole slope was outlined by cats. The cats slowly fell behind their leader as the group walked toward the Clans.

No Clan cat moved, nor spoke as the strange cats padded to in front of the tree, where the leaders were still sitting.

A dark gray tom with darker paws and golden eyes padded forward. "I am Smoke Claw," he meowed.

Kinkstar stood up, being the senior leader. "I am Kinkstar, leader of BrambleClan. These are Swiftstar of SkyClan, Redstar of CreekClan, and Rumblestar of PineClan."

"We _know_ who you are," Smoke Claw meowed. "We have been watching you in secret; seeing your every move. We are the eyes in the shadows that see and know everything. We are SavageClan, Clan of the shadows!"

"What do you want?" Redstar asked.

"What do we want, you ask?" Smoke Claw asked. "We want _your_ territory, _all_ of it, and we are _not_ afraid to take it by force."

"We can't let you do that," Rumblestar growled.

"Then we will hunt you down," Smoke Claw sneered. "_All_ of you. We have already taken some of your lives, and we are not afraid to take more."

"Whitescar!" Viperstrike snarled. "I remember your scent! SavageClan murdered Whitescar!"

Murmurs of shock rippled among the Clans.

"I recognize their scent, too!" Leopardpaw whispered to Ryepaw. "They were the ones who attacked Quailpaw and me two days ago!"

"We will never allow you to take the forest!" Swiftstar growled. "StarClan won't allow it!"

The SavageClan cats laughed among themselves.

"Do you really think StarClan will protect you?" Smoke Claw meowed. "They are just dumb cats in the sky. They won't protect you from us! We have come tonight to show you of our existence. You have until the end of leaf-bare to show us your answer— leave or die! And…just to make sure you get the message…" Smoke Claw quickly screeched into the air and launched himself at Swiftstar. The SkyClan leader yowled and the two cats wrestled. Yowls filled the air and screeches were heard. Blood splattered on the ground and soon the SavageClan cats retreated into the darkness.

"Swiftstar!" Frostpool cried.

Leopardpaw gasped.

The SkyClan leader's body was still on the ground as a pool of blood surrounded the dead leader.

"Swiftstar's dead!"

"Great StarClan, no!"

"Calm down!" Rumblestar yowled, but the Clans did not listen to him.

"Look!"

"In the sky!"

"The moon!"

Leopardpaw let a yelp as she stared at the moon. The moon was changing color! The moon was turning a blood-red color…

"What's happening?!"

"StarClan save us!"

"It's turning blood red for us! We're doomed!"

"Everyone calm down!" Kinkstar yowled, and for once the Clans stopped yowling. "Medicine cats, what is happening?"

"As far as we're concerned, it's a sign from StarClan," Waspwing meowed. "But we don't know what it means."

"Well for now, we must go home and talk about this with our fellow Clanmates. As far as we're concerned, the SavageClan cats might've attacked our camps!" Kinkstar meowed.

Kinkstar quickly led the BrambleClan cats out and so did Rumblestar with his Clan.

Redstar, however, quickly pressed his muzzle into Swiftstar's flank before leading his cats home.

"Quailpaw!" Leopardpaw meowed and padded up to the medicine cat apprentice. "Why is the moon turning blood red?"

"I don't know, Leopardpaw," Quailpaw confessed. "StarClan must be telling us something, but I don't know what!"

"Maybe you should ask them, then," Leopardpaw meowed.

"That's it!" Quailpaw meowed. "I should go to the Tree of Life and talk to StarClan!"

"Great idea!" Leopardpaw purred.

"But…Redstar will never allow it now, and neither would Bubblespots." Quailpaw looked at Leopardpaw. "Will _you_ come with me?"

"_Me_?" Leopardpaw asked.

"Yes, _you_!" Quailpaw meowed. "If we leave now, there might be some moonlight left. Will you come?"


	11. Chapter 10

"Yes, I will," Leopardpaw meowed.

Quailpaw flashed her a grateful glance. "Alright, come on. I know the way."

Without anyone noticing, the two apprentices slipped away from the Gathering patrol.

"We have to cross BrambleClan territory to get to the Tree of Life," Quailpaw meowed as they began their trek.

"What's it like?" Leopardpaw asked.

"The Tree of Life is a large tree not far from the BrambleClan territory," Quailpaw explained. "It has large roots that create a small cavern underneath. When the moon shines, the light shines through the small holes on the roof and it glows the entire room."

"Wow…" Leopardpaw meowed. "It sounds amazing!"

Quailpaw nodded as he continued to lead the way. The two crossed through the BrambleClan territory, and thankfully they didn't meet any night patrols, and soon they left it and entered and denser forest.

"Um…are you sure we're heading the right way?" Leopardpaw asked her friend.

"I'm pretty sure," Quailpaw meowed, though he sounded doubtful.

"_Pretty sure_?" Leopardpaw snorted as an owl hooted in the distance.

Soon, they came upon a large rock. The dark gray rock looked like a wolf howling to the moon.

"Hey, look! It's a wolf!" Leopardpaw joked. She clambered next to the stone and puffed out her chest. "Look at me, Quailpaw! I'm a wolf! Ah-oooooooo!" She pointed her muzzle up toward the moon and pretended to howl.

Quailpaw let out an _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Come on," he laughed. "We have to keep moving. We're almost there!"

Leopardpaw clambered down and the two continued their trek. Soon, a tall oak tree was in sight; the biggest Leopardpaw had seen in her life. Starlight reflected off the tree's remaining leaves and turned it to pretty silver.

"This way!" Quailpaw meowed and quickly padded toward the tree's roots. He disappeared in a small hole and vanished. Leopardpaw quickly followed him and she recognized the faint scents of CreekClan, PineClan, BrambleClan and SkyClan.

As she entered open space, Leopardpaw stared in awe. Holes among the roots shone moonlight upon the cavern and created beautiful silver spots upon the moist ground and made her golden pelt shine silver.

"This way!" Quailpaw called over. His gray tabby pelt had not changed that much, but was indeed silver from the light. He motioned over to a spot lite up from the moonlight and lay down. "Now we sleep and hopefully we will see StarClan."

Leopardpaw lay down next to him and curled her tail over her paws.

_I hope I see Honeywhisker!_ She thought as she closed her eyes and gave way to sleep.

* * *

Leopardpaw saw nothing. Only darkness greeted her. She slowly opened her eyes and was amazed by what she saw.

A rich forest stood in front of her. The gentle sound of a creek flowing nearby greeted her ears. It was almost like home.

A pale cream-colored tabby shape rose among the ferns.

Leopardpaw's heart skipped a beat.

"Honeywhisker!"

Leopardpaw bounced up to her mother and rubbed up against her. Honeywhisker purred and gave her daughter licks all over her face.

"I missed you so much!" Leopardpaw purred as she and her mother touched noses.

"I've missed you, too, my daughter," Honeywhisker purred.

"**SHUT UP, WHITESCAR**!" a yowl screeched the air. Leopardpaw's fur puffed up, but then relaxed when she saw two familiar cats padded into the clearing.

"Swiftstar! Whitescar!" Leopardpaw meowed.

The former SkyClan leader barged into the clearing with the former CreekClan deputy behind her.

"Welcome to StarClan! Welcome to StarClan!" Whitescar kept nagging Swiftstar.

"Honeywhisker! Make him shut up!" Swiftstar begged.

"Be quiet, Whitescar," Honeywhisker sighed. "I think she's got the point."

"Oh, but I think not," Whitescar purred and kept nagging Swiftstar.

Honeywhisker rolled her eyes. "Whitescar says he's going to say that to every cat who dies in this series. It's like his motto, or something like that."

"Well that's too bad," Leopardpaw sighed. "I heard VectorSigma101 is going to kill a lot of cats in the future."

"Oh, hi, Leopardpaw!" Whitescar stopped nagging Swiftstar and waved his tail to the apprentice.

"Hi, Whitescar!" Leopardpaw purred. "Do you three know anything about the blood moon?"

"We do," Swiftstar meowed.

"What did it mean?" Leopardpaw asked.

"It meant that the Clans will face their toughest challenge yet, and that the ground will run red," Whitescar meowed and shrugged. "We assumed that it was an obvious one, but _apparently_ they didn't get that one."

"There will be a battle?" Leopardpaw asked.

"We can't tell," Honeywhisker meowed. "But one thing we can tell is your future."

"Really?" Leopardpaw asked excitedly. "What is it about? Anything exciting?"

Honeywhisker glanced at Whitescar and Swiftstar, who nodded in agreement and walked away.

The queen put her tail on her daughter's shoulders. "Come here, little one." She led her daughter to a still part of the creek. "Look into the water. What do you see?"

Leopardpaw gazed into the water. "I-I don't see anything, Honeywhisker."

Honeywhisker gently dabbed the water with her front paw. Ripples gently rocked the still water. "Now what do you see?"

Leopardpaw gazed harder. "I-I see…Quailpaw and Ryepaw."

Her mother nodded. "Go on."

"I now see…four kits!" Leopardpaw gasped. "They are so cute and tiny! But…why is one of them fading away?"

"Keep going."

"I now see Ashpaw…and Redstar, and Bubblespots! Why are you showing me this? Wait…now I see the three kits! Why are they wailing and crying? Make it stop!" Leopardpaw shook her head and backed away from the water. "What are you trying to tell me, Honeywhisker?"

Honeywhisker fixed her green eyes on her daughter. "You have a great destiny ahead of you, my daughter," she meowed. "Never lose faith in your ancestors and know that I will always be with you. And…there is something I must tell you…something I've should've told you before, but I've never felt like you were old enough to know the truth…"

"What truth?" Leopardpaw asked. "Please, tell me!"

Honeywhisker's eyes were full of sorrow. "Your father…isn't Blackfrost."

Leopardpaw's heart dropped.

"W-What do you mean, Blackfrost is not my father?" Leopardpaw stammered, but Honeywhisker began to fade away. "Wait! Don't go! Please!"

* * *

Leopardpaw woke with a start. She glanced all around and saw that the cavern was filled with sunlight. Quailpaw was next to her and he was gently waking up.

"Leopardpaw?" Quailpaw asked as he scented her fear scent. "What's wrong?"

Leopardpaw tried opening her mouth, but no sounds came.

"You can tell me, you know," Quailpaw assured her and he got up and pressed his muzzle into hers.

"I-I know," Leopardpaw agreed. "Let-Let me tell you…"


	12. Chapter 11

"Hurry up, Leopardpaw!" Cedarstep snapped. "You are slower than a dorm mouse!"

_You're _not_ my mentor._

Leopardpaw bit back the retort she wanted to say, but decided it was better to keep her mouth shut. The dark brown tabby had become a warrior last moon, along with his sisters—Lilybreeze and Otterwhisker—and now he acted like a senior warrior.

_You're only two moons old than me, anyway… _

"Cedarstep," Ryepaw meowed to the tom. "She's only been put back on patrols. Maybe you should go easy on her."

Cedarstep let out a snort of disbelief. "Well, I'm not the one who decided to sneak away with Quailpaw and go to the Tree of Life! She's should know better!"

Leopardpaw clenched her teeth. When she and Quailpaw had come home from the Tree of Life last moon, the whole Clan had thought the two were caught by SavageClan. Redstar had ordered search parties until the two came home the next day. Her father—scratch that—Blackfrost, had been worried sick about her and ordered her to take care of the elders _all by herself_ for a _whole_ moon and to not leave the camp. Despite Leopardpaw's protests, she was put to work until yesterday. It wasn't all _that_ bad; Jayspirit and Tinyspirit, the elders, told great stories, like the time her father—scratch that, again—_Blackfrost_, put fire ants in his sister's nest when they were apprentices.

Leopardpaw let out a sigh. Quailpaw had been punished, too. Bubblespots had been furious when she discovered he went to the Tree of Life without her and without telling anyone. He was forbidden to go to the half-moon meeting at the Tree of Life with the rest of the medicine cats and forbidden to leave camp.

She remembered last moon when she told Quailpaw about her dream and drifted into her memories…

_"So…you're telling me…that Blackfrost isn't your father?" Quailpaw had asked with wide eyes._

_"That's what she told me," Leopardpaw had meowed. "Crazy, isn't it?"_

_Quailpaw hadn't said anything. "Do you believe her?"_

_"I-I think so…I mean, Honeywhisker would never lie to me and she seemed serious," she had replied. Quailpaw still hadn't respond, but was staring at her with wide green eyes. "What?"_

_"Leopardpaw…" Quailpaw had begun. "Do you…remember when Redstar had that omen when you were a kit?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Well…" Quailpaw had shifted his paws uncomfortably. "The omen was about a kit that was' born of shattered rules' and that kit would shine like the golden sun at the head of the Clan."_

_"Leopardpaw!"_

_"Leopardpaw, pay attention!"_

"Huh? What?" Leopardpaw snapped back into the present. Cedarstep was staring at her with furious amber eyes.

"About time you came back to us!" he snapped. "I've been calling your name for moons!"

"Sorry!" Leopardpaw winced as Cedarstep snorted and continued on the patrol.

As the border patrol continued onward, Ryepaw caught up with Leopardpaw.

"Are you alright, Leopardpaw?" the light brown tabby tom asked; his green eyes were full of worry.

"I'm fine," Leopardpaw replied quickly.

"Are you sure?" Ryepaw pressed. "I could help you, you know, if you need help with your duties. It must be hard getting used to doing your regular duties, since you've been taking care of the elders for a moon."

"I don't need help," Leopardpaw meowed. "I can cope with them myself."

"Well…if you're sure…?" Ryepaw asked, but was interrupted by his Clanmate.

"I'm fine," she growled. "I don't need your help." With a flick of her tail, she pulled ahead of her obnoxious Clanmate.

_Great StarClan, he's almost as worse as Moonpaw, and that's saying something! Why can't he just leave me alone?_

When the patrol came back to camp, a light snowfall had begun and filled the camp with a powdery dust.

"Great, just what we need!" Flyingcloud snorted. "Now it's only going to get colder." He fluffed up his white and black striped fur and went to the warriors' den.

Jayspirit—a black and white tom with golden eyes—and his mate, Tinyspirit—a tortoiseshell and white tabby she-cat with green eyes—sat outside the elders' den.

"I hope this won't be a harsh leaf-bare like the last one," Jayspirit meowed to his mate.

"StarClan can't be that cruel!" Tinyspirit meowed. "Remember? We lost Graythorn and Bramblebelly during the blizzard, and Silverblaze and Thornnose from the cold."

Jayspirit nodded. "May they have good hunting in StarClan."

Leopardpaw's brothers, Pinepaw and Ashpaw, were already at the fresh-kill pile and eating their prey.

"Oh, great, snow!" Pinepaw sniffed and looked up at the falling snow. "I heard from Stripedwhisker that this stuff makes it harder to catch prey."

"Well, _I_ like it!" Ashpaw purred and rolled in the snowy ground, making his smokey pelt covered with white flecks.

"Can I talk to you guys?" Leopardpaw ignored their comments and asked.

"Sure thing, Leopardpaw," Pinepaw meowed and took a bite out of his mouse.

"Alone. Why not in the forest?"

"Okay," Pinepaw meowed, but Ashpaw moaned.

"Can't I finish my minnow, first?" he complained.

"You can eat it later," Leopardpaw meowed.

"But I've been cleaning nests _all_ day!" Ashpaw insisted.

"I don't care," she growled.

"This is the only time I can eat!" he whined.

"_Then bring it with you_!" Leopardpaw bared her teeth and stormed into the forest.

Pinepaw let out a smirk. "She's finally her old self now," he said as he hurried after his sister while Ashpaw grabbed his minnow and dashed after him.

"Here's good enough," Leopardpaw meowed and sat down in a clearing. The snow still fell and it was around sun-high and thick clouds covered the sky like a blanket.

"Why are we so far from camp?" Pinepaw asked. "You know our father doesn't like apprentices going out by themselves."

"Because I don't want anyone else to hear what I am going to tell you two," Leopardpaw explained as her brothers sat down. _And he's not our father._ "Besides, we are almost warriors. We can take care of ourselves." Ashpaw, by now, had finished his minnow and wrapped his tail around his "What's so important that you couldn't tell us in camp?" Ashpaw asked.

Leopardpaw let out a sigh. "When I was at the Tree of Life, I saw Honeywhisker in a dream," she began. "She told a few things, but what she told me that shocked me the most was…" She trailed off.

"Was what?" Pinepaw pressed, his amber eyes lit up in excitement. "What did our mother tell you?"

"She…she told me…that Blackfrost isn't our father." She immediately closed her eyes. When she slowly opened them a few heartbeats later, her brothers stared at her. Both of her brother's amber eyes were wide with shock and their mouths were open.

"That's…that's not possible!" Pinepaw gasped.

"Well, like it or not, it's true!" Leopardpaw snapped. "I promise you, I'm _not_ lying."

"Well, if Blackfrost isn't our father, then who is?!" Ashpaw growled.

"Honeywhisker didn't say."

"How can we trust you?" Pinepaw snapped and stood up. His amber eyes were blazing with anger and his striped tail swished back and forth. "You've ran away with Quailpaw last moon for the Tree of Life. You keep hanging out with that lousy medicine cat apprentice!"

"He's not lousy!" Leopardpaw growled. She gasped, but it was too late to take her words back.

Ashpaw's eyes grew wide, again. "You like him! You like a medicine cat!"

"Do not!" Leopardpaw snapped.

"Yes you do!" Pinepaw growled. "Leopardpaw, that's against the rules! Medicine cats can't have mates! Why don't you like Ryepaw? He's really nice and is always following you around!"

"Ryepaw is obnoxious like his brother," Leopardpaw sniffed. "Besides, Quailpaw is only a friend, _nothing_ else."

"Are you sure?" Pinepaw asked, though his eyes told her that he did not believe her.

"I promise," Leopardpaw meowed.

Pinepaw let out a snort, but didn't press her any further.

"So again, how can we trust you that Blackfrost isn't our father?" Ashpaw asked.

"You just _have_ to trust me," Leopardpaw meowed. "I'm not lying."

"Okay then," Ashpaw meowed. "How do we find out who our father is? He could be any one. For StarClan's sake, he might not even be CreekClan! How are we supposed to find him?"

"I can help."


	13. Chapter 12

All three apprentices stared wide-eyed as a black tom stepped out of the shadows. He had a white spot on his back and gleaming green eyes. Leopardpaw recognized the tom at once.

"It's you!" Leopardpaw yowled. "You were the one who attacked Quailpaw and me a moon ago!"

The black tom bent back his ears. "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to. I was ordered to attack any cats that I would meet."

Leopardpaw let out a low growl. "'Sorry' catches no prey!" she snapped and bunched up her muscles to attack the strange cat. But before she could, Pinepaw laid his striped tail on her shoulder.

"Wait, Leopardpaw!" Pinepaw meowed. "We need to know more about this cat before you could shred him."

His littermate let out a snort. "Fine," she growled and sat down.

Pinepaw twitched his ears. "Okay, first off, who are you?"

"My name is Full Moon," he meowed and flicked his tail to the white spot on his back. "Hence the name."

"Okay…" Pinepaw meowed. "I'm Pinepaw, and this is my sister, Leopardpaw." He pointed to his sister, who was still glaring at the strange tom. "And my brother, Ashpaw." He then pointed to his brother, who was staring at the rogue with curiosity in his eyes.

Full Moon dipped his head in response.

"So…you can help us find our father?" Ashpaw asked.

"Yes," Full Moon meowed. "My Clan, SavageClan, roams around the territories and sees and hears everything. There isn't a secret that we don't know of. I could ask some of my Clanmates if they've heard a cat named Honeywhisker with someone else."

"How did you know our mother was Honeywhisker?" Pinepaw asked.

"I heard you earlier," Full Moon meowed. "I was sent here by my leader, Smoke Claw, to spy on CreekClan."

"So…wait a second," Leopardpaw meowed. "If Smoke Claw sent you here to spy on us, why are you helping us?"

The black and white tom shifted his paws uneasily. "Well, the truth is…I don't like SavageClan. I want to join the Clans and not live by Smoke Claw's harsh rules."

"What kind of rules?" Ashpaw asked.

"He demands absolute loyalty and anyone who steals prey for themselves or tries to leave the Clan gets killed. He also made up a punishment called the 'Savage Bite'." Full Moon lifted up his hind leg and bite marks could be visibly seen on his black fur. "See those marks? That's from a Savage Bite I got from Blood Stain, our deputy. I'm one of the lucky ones, because most cats don't survive the Savage Bite."

"That's horrible!" Pinepaw declared. "No cat should be treated that way!"

"And you can't leave because Smoke Claw will kill you if you do," Ashpaw meowed and Full Moon nodded.

"I guess we can trust you," Pinepaw meowed. "Or he wouldn't be telling us this information."

Leopardpaw let out a snort of disbelief. "Well _I_ don't trust him, and I never will! He tried to kill Quailpaw and me!"

Full Moon opened his mouth to object, but Leopardpaw had spun around and stalked back to camp. It was worse enough that Blackfrost wasn't her father, now her siblings wanted help from the cat who tried to take her life?

* * *

Cold surged through Leopardpaw's bones as she woke up the next morning. The leaf-bare breeze blew into the apprentices' den, making every cat shiver.

"Great StarClan, I hate leaf-bare!" Moonpaw growled and flexed his claws. He let out a huge yawn and sat up.

Blackfrost poked his head in the den as fresh cold air blew in. "Pinepaw, Leopardpaw and Ashpaw, time for training."

"But it's early!" Pinepaw moaned.

The deputy's ears drew back. "You're almost warriors, so start acting like ones! Besides, we're having your assessments today."

Pinepaw shot straight up. "Well, why did you say so? Come on, let's go!" He nudged his sister and brother up and _literally_ dragged them outside. "Come on! The sooner we pass our assessments, the sooner we become warriors!"

Leopardpaw moaned and stumbled to her paws. She _hated_ getting up so early, especially for patrols. Besides Leopardpaw, her brother, Ashpaw, let out a huge yawn and his amber eyes sagged.

"Alright," Blackfrost meowed. He had Stripedwhisker and Flyingcloud with him. "You three will be hunting _alone_ in the territory. Your goal is to catch at least one fish, one squirrel and one lizard before sun-high."

"When do we start?" Pinepaw asked.

The Clan deputy flicked his tail. "_Now_."

* * *

A swift paw lashed out on the prattling creek. A fish leapt out from the creek and a swift paw quickly pawed and killed it.

_One fish and one lizard down…only a squirrel to go!_

As Leopardpaw placed her prey away for safe keeping, she thought about her brothers and how they were doing on their assessments.

_I hope they haven't failed. It would be miserable if they weren't made warriors today. I wonder if they've finished yet. Ugh, I better hurry up and catch this squirrel!_

She silently padded further into the forest, hoping to catch scent of a nearby squirrel, but instead caught a flash of dark fur.

_Pinepaw? What's _he_ doing here?_

Leopardpaw slowly padded forward, but kept her ears pricked for danger.

"Pinepaw?" she slowly asked as she padded closer.

A sudden stench hit the back of her throat and her worst fear came to reality.

The fern branches shifted away to reveal a russet-colored fox with a squirrel in its jaws. Blood stained its muzzle and it bore its teeth into a snarl.

"Fox!" Leopardpaw yowled and turned tail and ran.

_Please leave me alone! Please go away!,_ she tried to think, but she could hear the fox's panting behind her legs.

"Honeywhisker, help me!" Leopardpaw yowled, hoping her mother in StarClan would save her. She could hear the fox getting closer…and closer…

_Is this how it will end? _

"Mrrow!" a cat yowled and a brown tom suddenly tackled the fox into a tree. The tom stood in front of the russet-colored fox with his shoulder fur pricked and his teeth bored into a snarl.

"Pinepaw!" Leopardpaw yowled. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you yowl and I came to help!" Pinepaw meowed as the fox struggled to get up. Another yowl was heard and a dark gray tom slammed into the fox before it could get to its paws.

"Ashpaw, where did you come from?" Leopardpaw asked.

The gray tom leapt off the fox and quickly dashed toward them. "I heard yowling and came to investigate what was going on."

"Well, we're glad you came!" Pinepaw purred. "He's getting up again!" The fox scrambled to its paws and let out a fierce, low growl.

"We can take that minnow-brained fox!" Leopardpaw meowed. "Only if we do it—"

"_Together_!" all three siblings meowed on cue.

The fox snarled and quickly leapt at the three siblings. Pinepaw hissed and briskly clawed the fox on the amber eye. The fox yelped and instantly fell back a step and shook its head like it was shaking off water. Leopardpaw hurriedly nipped at the fox's skinny hind legs while Ashpaw scraped its ear. Pinepaw slashed the fox's narrow muzzle as it tried to bit Ashpaw on the neck. Leopardpaw rammed into its side while Ashpaw snapped at its fluffy tail. The fox managed to claw Ashpaw on the shoulder and bite Leopardpaw's ear. Pinepaw drew his ears back and tried to claw the fox's face, but the sneaky enemy dodged to the right and snap at Pinepaw's shoulder. The apprentice let out a shriek of pain as the fox slowly rounded the three apprentices.

The three warriors slowly crept up to russet animal and all cats bore their teeth into snarls.

"Leave now so we shall spare you," Blackfrost meowed and dug his claws into the ground.

The fox quickly glanced from the Clan deputy to the apprentices and back again. He let out a low snarl and hastily disappeared into the shadows.

The tension in the area decreased as Blackfrost padded up to the three apprentices. "Did you three fight off the fox by yourselves?"

"Yup!" Pinepaw meowed and puffed out his chest. His littermates nodded in agreement.

Blackfrost blinked in surprise. "Well done!" he purred and gave each of the apprentices a quick lick on the ear.

Flyingcloud waved his striped tail happily. "Thank StarClan we heard yowling, or the fox might've made a meal out of you!"

Stripedwhisker nodded in agreement. "Yes, very well done. We better take back your prey and report back to Redstar."

* * *

Leopardpaw quickly ate her fish as Pinepaw came out of the apprentices' den.

"How are your wounds?" Ashpaw asked as he looked up from his vole.

"Fine," Pinepaw meowed and flicked his tail to the cobwebs plastered on his right shoulder. "Do you think they'll make us warriors?" He nodded toward the tall tree where Redstar was meeting with Blackfrost, Stripedwhisker and Flyingcloud.

"They _have_ to!" Ashpaw insisted. "We fought off a _fox_!"

"But we didn't finish our assessment," Leopardpaw pointed out. "We each only caught two pieces of prey, not three, like we were instructed to."

Pinepaw let out a snort. "Frog-dung to that! We proved that we can be strong warriors!"

"I just hope we proved enough," Leopardpaw muttered as she looked at the sky. The sun was slowly setting down above the tree tops.

Suddenly, Redstar appeared from his den among the roots of the tree and leapt on Hanging Branch. Blackfrost sat under the branch while Stripedwhisker and Flyingcloud sat not far from the Clan deputy.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath Hanging Branch for a Clan meeting!" the Clan leader yowled. Leopardpaw and her brothers immediately joined the rest of the Clan under Hanging Branch, but she noticed that two cats were not there. "Today, three apprentices did their assessment, but all three cats failed to complete it. That is because a fox interrupted Leopardpaw's assessment, but with the help of her brothers, they managed to keep the fox at bay until their mentors arrived to scare the fox away. Their mentors, Blackfrost and I have all agreed that they should be made warriors today because of the courage all three cats have shown."

Murmurs of approval rippled through the Clan as Redstar leapt down from Hanging Branch.

"I, Redstar, leader of CreekClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices," Redstar requested. "They have trained hard to follow your noble code and I ask you to make them warriors in return. Pinepaw, Leopardpaw and Ashpaw, do you promise to defend and protect your Clan and uphold the warrior code, even with the cost of your life?"

"I do," Pinepaw meowed, his voice unusually strong.

"I do," Leopardpaw promised, knowing that she would risk her life for her Clanmates anytime.

"I do," Ashpaw agreed, his amber eyes burning fiercely.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names!" Redstar meowed. "Pinepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Pineheart! CreekClan honors your honesty and patience and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to the brown tom. Pineheart licked his leader's shoulder in return.

"Leopardpaw," Redstar went on. Leopardpaw could barely keep still as Redstar called her new name. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Leopardnose! CreekClan honors your courage and loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to the young she-cat. She licked his shoulder in return.

"Ashpaw," Redstar meowed. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Ashwhisker! CreekClan honors your intelligence and kindness and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan and we also mourn for a certain cat that cannot be here with us."

_He named Ashwhisker after our mother…_

The dark red tom touched his muzzle to the dark gray tom. The newly named warrior licked his leader's shoulder in return.

"Pineheart! Leopardnose! Ashwhisker! Pineheart! Leopardnose! Ashwhisker!" the Clan yowled, including Blackfrost who yowled to the darkening sky.

_I can't believe it…we are finally warriors!_

Just when it seemed like nothing could go wrong…it did. Just like her apprentice ceremony, a cat rushed through the camp with wounds on his back and fear coming off his pelt.

It was Quailpaw.


	14. Chapter 13

The newly named warrior, Leopardnose, kept her ears pricked and her senses sharp as she scanned for any sign of danger. So far, none.

She and her brothers—now Pineheart and Ashwhisker—were finally made warriors the previous night. That's also when Quailpaw rushed into the camp with wounds on his pelt and fear in his eyes. He came with a dreadful message…

Leopardnose turned her head back to see Quailpaw with his muzzle pressed deeply into a cat's fur. The she-cat's pale blue-gray pelt with lighter spots was covered with wounds and dried blood and her once bright blue eyes now stared dully into space.

Quailpaw had rushed into camp, saying that the two were checking on the herbs and see if they were still alive. That's when SavageClan attacked. They attacked briskly and deadly, and, just like Whitescar, Bubblespots was dead. Quailpaw had managed to rush back to camp to tell the horrible news. Redstar immediately sent patrols to retrieve Bubblespots' body and search for any signs of the SavageClan cats. They were nowhere to be seen and no other trace of their scent either.

"Please forgive me, Bubblespots," Leopardnose heard Quailpaw whisper. "I've tried to be your best apprentice, but it seems to me that I've failed."

Leopardnose longed to go and comfort her friend, but her vigil was still in play. Luckily, the sun was beginning to rise, and it slowly warmed the camp. Shadows disappeared and light filled the territory.

Blackfrost came out of the warriors' den and yawned. He stretched for a moment before padding over to the silent warriors.

"Go get some rest," he murmured to his 'kits'.

Leopardnose slowly nodded and let out a huge yawn. She and her brothers sleepily padded into the warriors' den. Three fresh nests woven from reeds and moss were up front. Despite the cold leaf-bare breeze, Leopardnose found the nest warm and comfy as she settled down and fell asleep.

* * *

"Leopardnose, wake up!"

A rough paw shook her shoulder roughly and Leopardnose blinked open her eyes. Sunlight blinded her sight as a cat in front of her let out a low growl.

"Wake up, Leopardnose!" the cat snapped. "It's sunhigh, for StarClan's sake!"

The young warrior shot straight up when she recognized Blackfrost's voice.

"S-Sorry, Blackfrost!" Leopardnose mumbled and she noticed that her brothers were next to the Clan deputy.

Blackfrost let out a snort. "About time, too. You three are old enough to wake yourselves up before _sunhigh_!"

"Sorry, Blackfrost," Ashwhisker apologized and lowered his tail.

"'Sorry' catches no prey!" Blackfrost snapped and his tail flashed out. "You missed several patrols already and CreekClan needs everyone to help out during this cold season."

"We're really sorry, Blackfrost," Pineheart meowed. "I won't happen again; we promise."

The Clan deputy let out a growl. "It better not." With a swish of his tail, he left the three warriors.

"Geez, Blackfrost was hard on us," Ashwhisker meowed.

"It's probably because we're warriors now and he expects us to take care of ourselves now," Pineheart meowed. "And we should."

Leopardnose flicked her tail in agreement and gently gazed around the camp. Wingflight and Icetalon were sharing-tongues not far from the nursery. Moonpaw and Ryepaw practiced battle moves, for their assessment next moon, outside the apprentices' den. Redstar, Blackfrost and Quailpaw shared a few words under Hanging Branch. Lightningstrike and Stripedwhisker shared a skinny rabbit by the fresh-kill pile, while Viperstrike, Softbelly and Otterwhisker padded into camp with only a few pieces of prey in their jaws.

Leopardnose let her gaze go back to Quailpaw, Redstar and Blackfrost. Quailpaw glanced at her for a few seconds and the other two cats followed his gaze. Leopardnose's pelt bristled with embarrassment as all three cats stared at her. They stopped after a few heartbeats and Redstar nodded. Quailpaw nodded back in respect and left the two cats for Leopardnose.

"What was that all about?" Leopardnose asked her friend.

"I want to go to the Tree of Life tonight for the half-moon," Quailpaw explained. "But Redstar and Blackfrost say that I need a warrior escort because of the threat of SavageClan."

"And you want me to be your escort?" Leopardnose guessed.

Quailpaw blushed for a moment. "Will you?"

"I guess so," Leopardnose meowed. "Remember the last time we were there?"

"Yeah," Quailpaw purred. "We got in so much trouble with our mentors!"

Both cats purred happily, but then stopped when they realized that Redstar and Blackfrost were staring at them.

"Uh…so I guess I'll see you tonight?" Quailpaw asked.

"Yes," Leopardnose meowed.

_Why do I feel hot whenever I talk to him?_

Quailpaw gave his chest a few licks. He padded toward the medicine cat's den while waving his tail goodbye.

* * *

It was around dusk by the time Quailpaw and Leopardnose left camp. They padded past the Gathering place and followed the familiar route they had taken on their first trip together. An owl hooted in the distance as the two cats' paws crunched on the soft snow. Soon the sun disappeared into the night and shadows seemed to lurk everywhere.

Leopardnose kept her senses sharp as she scanned the area around them. Her duty was to protect her friend from any danger—Clan or rogue. Soon the Tree of Life with its silver branches came into view and five cats were seen under the tree.

Leopardnose's pelt immediately puffed up at the sight of the strange cats, but Quailpaw only put his tail on her shoulder.

"It's alright," he meowed. "It's only cats from PineClan and SkyClan."

Her pelt settled down a bit as she followed Quailpaw forward. The medicine cat apprentice's tail waved in the air as he sat down next to the cats.

"Greetings, Twigcrack," Quailpaw meowed to a pale brown tabby she-cat. "This is my friend, Leopardnose."

"Greetings, Quailpaw, Leopardnose," Twigcrack meowed and nodded her head. She pointed with her tail to a handsome dark ginger tom with faint brown patches. "This is Emberdust, one of our newest warriors."

The dark ginger tom nodded to Leopardnose and waved his tail in friendliness.

Leopardnose ignored him and turned her attention to a pale brown tabby she-cat that Quailpaw was pointing out.

"This is Chervilpad, Twigcrack's apprentice," Quailpaw explained. "And this is Icewind from SkyClan." He pointed to a large, short-haired white tom.

Icewind nodded his head. "This is Thornstep, one of our warriors." He pointed to a brown tabby tom.

Thornstep only shrugged in response.

Twigcrack looked around. "Where are Waspwing and Shatterpaw?"

"They must be late," Quailpaw meowed.

"By the way, where is Bubblespots?" Icewind asked. "Is she sick?"

Quailpaw's eyes flooded with grief. "She was killed yesterday by a SavageClan cat."

All the medicine cats' dipped their heads.

"She was so young," Twigcrack meowed. "Her whole life was ahead of her…"

Icewind put his tail on Quailpaw's shoulder. "I know what it's like for one's mentor to die. You'll see her in StarClan."

Quailpaw only nodded. "I'm hoping StarClan will give me my name tonight."

"I'm sure they will," Chervilpad mewed.

Emberdust of PineClan padded over to Leopardnose. "I'm sorry for CreekClan's loss," he meowed. "It must be hard with only one medicine cat."

Leopardnose drew her ears back. "Quailpaw can manage by himself," she growled and Emberdust stepped back.

"Sorry," he meowed. He glared at her for a few heartbeats. "I think I remember you. You were at the battle in our camp a couple of moons ago, right?"

"…yes…"

Emberdust's tail waved in the air. "Hmph! PineClan showed you guys, huh? Nobody messes with PineClan and expects to win!"

Leopardnose only moaned as the young warrior continued his ranting.

_Why is StarClan punishing me like this?_

A yowl was heard in the distance and three cats came dashing from the shadows.

"Sorry we're late!" a gray and white tom meowed. "Kinkstar wanted some advice on something."

"Yeah, sorry!" a dark gray she-cat with darker patches winced sheepishly.

"It's alright, Waspwing and Shatterpaw," Twigcrack meowed. "Who have you brought?" She nosed toward a small, gray and white she-cat.

"That's Hailbreath, one of our warriors," Waspwing meowed.

Hailbreath smiled at the Clan cats.

"Well, now that we are all here," Icewind meowed. "We should start before we run out of moonlight."

All ten cats from all four Clans padded silently into the Tree of Life's roots. Just like her last visit, moonlight flooded the cavern with silver light and the medicine cats settled down. Leopardnose watched as their breaths grew short and they all fell asleep.

"Guess we should get some rest, too, huh?" Emberdust asked.

"Yeah, this could be a while," Thornstep meowed and went his own way.

Leopardnose left the other two cats and found a nice mossy area covered by some roots. As she lowered herself down, the arrogant Emberdust gingerly padded up to her.

Leopardnose bore her teeth into a snarl. "What do you want?" she quietly snapped.

"Think there's room for two?" he asked.

She looked around her mossy nest and saw that she had ample enough of room. Great StarClan, she grew embarrassed at the fact that the others might think she was greedy of all the excess space she had.

"I guess…" Leopardnose mumbled and scooted over a mouse-length.

The PineClan tom flashed her a grateful glance as he settled down not far from her.

Leopardnose kept one eye open to make sure he was just sleeping. She soon felt sleep wash over her and fell into tidal wave of dreams.

* * *

Leopardnose woke up in a familiar starry forest. The familiar creek was there and so were the trees. Next to her, Quailpaw sat and he looked surprised to see her.

"Leopardnose!" Quailpaw meowed. "What are you doing here in my dream?"

"Like I know!" Leopardnose retorted. "I'm just falling asleep one second, and the next I'm here!"

Before Quailpaw could say anything else, a familiar pale blue-gray she-cat stepped forward from the trees.

"Bubblespots!" Quailpaw meowed and bounded forward to his mentor. "It's so good to see you, again!"

"It's good to see you again, too, Quailpaw," Bubblespots meowed. "And you, too, Leopardnose."

Leopardnose nodded as the former medicine cat continued.

"Quailpaw," she began. "I am so for not giving you your full medicine cat name. There was the right time or moment, because of the threat from SavageClan and all these deaths…but I see now that there couldn't be a better moment than right now."

Quailpaw's eyes glowed. "Thank you, Bubblespots!"

Bubblespots rested her tail on his shoulder and held her head high. "I, Bubblespots, former medicine cat of CreekClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Quailpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry, between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Quailpaw stared at his mentor, eye-to-eye. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give your true name as a medicine cat. Quailpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Quailfeather. StarClan honors your courage and your thirst for knowledge."

Bubblespots placed her nose on his muzzle. Quailfeather licked her shoulder in return.

All of a sudden, several cats appeared around them. A dark ginger tom with amber eyes (Flamescorch) padded up to Bubblespots and touched noses with her. A small black and white tom (Skunkstorm) waved his fluffy tail happily next to a white she-cat with ginger specks (Specklestorm). A cream-colored she-cat with long teeth (Daytooth) let out a yowl of happiness and was joined by a gray tabby she-cat (Minnowmoon), a brown tabby tom (Beechsong) and a white she-cat (Haremeadow).

"Quailfeather! Quailfeather! Quailfeather!" all the ancient medicine cats yowled.

"Quailfeather!" Leopardnose yowled for her friend.

* * *

Leopardnose gently woke from her dream. She yawned and looked around the cavern. It was around sunrise and everyone was still asleep. She let out an _mrrow_ of laughter when she saw Icewind twitching in his sleep like he was hunting.

_I wonder what he's dreaming about…_

"Have a good sleep?"

She turned around and saw Emberdust staring at her with big green eyes.

Leopardnose growled a bit. "What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing," Emberdust meowed. He got up and stretched for a moment. "It looks like the others are still asleep."

"No, duh," Leopardnose retorted and sat up. She desperately wanted to get away from this arrogant fur-ball.

_He's even worse than Moonpaw! And that's saying something!_

"I'm going hunting," Leopardnose declared and began to walk out of the cavern.

"Oh, I'll come with you," Emberdust offered.

"No thanks, Pine cat," Leopardnose snorted. "I _like_ hunting alone."

Emberdust just shrugged and watched her leave the cavern with her tail high.

_Such an arrogant fur-ball!_

Leopardnose scented the air for prey, but she couldn't find anything. She suddenly caught the scent of a rabbit. Her eyes narrowed and her ears pricked forward as she stalked the small creature. Just when she was about to pounce, a branch cracked and the rabbit grew alert and dashed away. With a hiss of annoyance, Leopardnose stood up straight and looked around angrily. Emberdust—of course and also stole Moonpaw's personality—suddenly dashed forward and catch the rabbit by the neck. The poor creature let out a feeble wail and then fell silent.

Leopardnose stared in awe at the PineClan tom. "That was…amazing!"

Emberdust placed the rabbit down and gave his chest a few licks. "Thanks." He glanced at the scrawny rabbit. "Want to share it?"

"I-I guess so," Leopardnose reluctantly agreed as she and Emberdust shared the skinny rabbit. There wasn't much meat on it, but there was enough to satisfy both cats.

"We better head back to the Tree of Life, now," Emberdust meowed. Once Leopardnose agreed, he led her back to the tree. "So, I guess you heard about SavageClan, huh?"

"Yeah," Leopardnose meowed. "Do you think they'll take over the forest?"

"Nope!" Emberdust meowed. "We're warriors! We can handle any ol' rogue!"

"Yes, but…there's something about them that makes me think that there's more to them than meets the eye," Leopardnose confessed.

"Well, we're just going to have to get through this together—all the Clans—and we _will_ show those rogues that nobody comes into _territory_ and gets away with it!" Emberdust meowed.

Leopardnose couldn't help it but let out a soft purr.

_Maybe this cat isn't so bad after all?_


	15. Chapter 14

By the time the two Clan warriors returned to the Tree of Life, everyone else was awake. Hailbreath and Thornstep must've caught some prey, because all six medicine cats were finishing up some squirrels.

Waspwing glanced up from his squirrel. "You've missed the meal. Thornstep and Hailbreath found a few squirrels."

Icewind flashed his tongue over his muzzle. "Scrawny, but satisfying." He commented.

"We already ate," Emberdust meowed and glanced at Leopardnose. "Leopardnose's a great hunter."

The golden she-cat with black spots gave her chest a few licks. "But you're the one who caught the rabbit."

"But you're the one who scented it in the first place," Emberdust insisted. "Even I couldn't have scented it."

Leopardnose shifted her paws uncomfortably as Emberdust gazed warmly at her. "Uh, thanks…Emberdust."

She could feel Quailfeather's burning gaze scorch her pelt as Emberdust waved his tail happily.

"I think it's time we went our separate ways, now," Quailfeather suggested and stood up. He shook the snow off his pelt before glaring at Emberdust.

Emberdust only shrugged, and didn't respond.

"We better go, too," Waspwing meowed. "Come on, Shatterpaw and Hailbreath. Kinkstar's probably getting worried about us by now."

Shatterpaw nodded and waved her tail at the PineClan medicine cat apprentice. "Good-bye, Chervilpad!"

The pale brown tabby apprentice waved back to the dark gray she-cat. "See you at the Gathering," Chervilpad meowed, as Waspwing, Chervilpad and Hailbreath left.

"I better leave, too," Icewind meowed. His fellow medicine cats said their good-byes as the white medicine cat and Thornstep quickly left the Tree of Life.

"I guess I'll see you at the Gathering, then," Emberdust meowed to Leopardnose, clearly aware that Quailfeather was watching behind the CreekClan warrior.

"Uh…yeah," Leopardnose agreed and gave a reluctant nod. Emberdust gave her ear a swift lick before following Twigcrack and Chervilpad back to their territory.

Quailfeather let out a snort and his tail flashed out, which caused the snow behind him to fly back.

Leopardnose sharply turned back to him. "What's _your_ problem?" she snapped.

Quailfeather let out a snort. "Oh, nothing," he meowed sarcastically. "Oh…right, maybe because _you_ are _mooning_ over **Emberdust**! Oh, wait…I'm sorry. _He's_ mooning over **you**!"

Leopardnose was stung by Quailfeather's sharp retort, and she bore her teeth slightly. "I'm not _mooning_ over him!" she insisted. "We can't be together! It's against the warrior code, minnow-brain!"

"Well he seems to like you very much," Quailfeather growled, and his shoulder fur rose a bit.

Leopardnose stared in her friend in shock. "What's with _you_, Quailfeather? You've been acting different ever since we got here."

The CreekClan medicine cat did not respond, but instead swished his tail again on the white snow.

"Do you not like Emberdust?" Leopardnose guessed, and when Quailfeather did not respond, she pressed on. "Why do you not like him? Is it because he's from another Clan? Is it because you 'think' that he's mooning over me?"

When Quailfeather still did not respond, she went on even further. "Are you jealous of him?"

"_Me?_ _Jealous_?" Quailfeather meowed after a few heartbeats. "No! W-Why would I be jealous of that annoying PineClan cat?"

"I don't know," Leopardnose meowed and walked even closer to Quailfeather. "But I think _you_ know," she meowed. Her green eyes gazed hard into the medicine cat's eyes, as if she was trying to pry him into telling her the answer. After a few heartbeats, Quailfeather shook his head and took a few pawsteps back.

"Come on," he meowed, ignoring her previous question. "Let's head home."

Leopardnose did not try to argue, but stubbornly followed the medicine cat back to camp.

* * *

Leopardnose let out a low growl as the slushy snow clogged her paws. She hated the cold and how it made prey harder to find. But now, she felt relieved that soon she'll be surrounded by many cats and she'll finally be warm.

The full moon shone blissfully in the navy blue sky, while stars dotted the night sky. Ahead, Leopardnose could make out the large, dark ginger red tabby shape of Redstar, with the almost-invisible Blackfrost and the softly glowing Quailfeather next to him. She remembered a half-moon ago, when Quailfeather had received his full medicine cat name and how they argued with each other. Since then, Quailfeather had refused to talk with her, and he would only be with her to fix her wounds.

A soft tail gently tapped her shoulder, and Leopardnose snapped out of her thoughts and gazed down at the long-haired white she-cat.

"Umm, Leopardnose?" the she-cat gingerly asked. "Will…will the Gathering be scary?"

Leopardnose rested her tail on the young cat's shoulders. "It won't be, Skypaw. You'll get to meet a lot of other cats from different Clans, and most of them are really nice."

"_Most_?" Skypaw's one green eye and one blue eye grew wide with worry.

"Well…there's this one cat named Jaggedlightning," Leopardnose meowed. "He looks kind of like Moonpaw, and _just_ as annoying. He's a real pain in the tail. If you see him, do what everyone else does to Moonpaw— _ignore_ him."

Skypaw nodded her head. A quarter moon ago, a CreekClan patrol found the injured cat wandering blindly around. The patrol brought her back so Quailfeather could fix her wounds. She explained to everyone that her name was Sky and she was kidnapped by her Twolegs, but managed to escape. Redstar had allowed her to join CreekClan and train with the other two apprentices with Softbelly as her mentor. The young cat was very shy and quiet, and was often afraid of the outside. Hopefully, training with the energetic Moonpaw, she'll learn to not be as shy.

Soon, the ground sloped downward and High Tree, the place where the Clan leaders make their announcements, was seen with the creek spiraling past it. Judging from the scents, the other Clans were already there.

"Why don't you go say 'hi' to the other apprentices?" Leopardnose asked Skypaw once their Clan mingled in with the other Clans and pointed with her tail to a couple of apprentices.

Skypaw slowly nodded and padded over to the chattering group and was immediately accepted.

"I climbed my first tree today!" an apprentice named Tadpolepaw boasted.

"I didn't know SkyClan cats _could_ climb trees," a BrambleClan apprentice named Tidepaw meowed.

"Well _I_ can!" Tadpolepaw meowed. "SkyClan cats are the best cats ever!"

_Uh-oh…this is not going to be good…_

"No way!" Moonpaw growled and stood up. "CreekClan cats are!"

"And why?" Tadpolepaw asked.

"We can swim in the water, when the other cats can't!" Moonpaw meowed. "Plus, we can fight better, too!"

Tadpolepaw stood up and bore his teeth. "Wanna bet?" He slid his claws out.

"Why not?" Moonpaw growled and unsheathed his claws.

Before any apprentice could leap, Flintstrike of SkyClan stepped between the two cats.

"Enough!" the deputy growled. "We do not fight during the Gathering, remember? If anyone of you attacks one another, you'll be cleaning the elders' den for a moon."

"You're not _my_ deputy," Moonpaw growled. "You can't tell me what to do!"

Flintstrike bore his teeth. "Try me."

Before Moonpaw could open his mouth, Skypaw stepped in.

"Moonpaw…maybe you should listen to him," Skypaw softly meowed. "Trying to prove that CreekClan is the best Clan by fighting is not the best way of doing that. Maybe…boasting how many fish you caught could be better."

Moonpaw thought for a moment before turning to Tadpolepaw.

"I caught _three_ fish today!" he boasted.

Leopardnose let out a sigh and rolled her eyes.

"He never learns, does he?" a voice spoke behind her. Leopardnose turned around and saw Ryepaw.

"Yeah, your brother _never_ learns," Leopardnose purred. She was surprised how much Ryepaw had grown since the last moon. Despite still being an apprentice, he was just as tall as her and probably just as strong.

"Let us begin!" Kinkstar meowed as the leaders leapt onto High Tree. When the elderly leader opened her mouth to begin, Rumblestar interrupted her.

"PineClan shall start first," he meowed and went on while Kinkstar glared at him. "We have two new warriors that I've made earlier this moon— Emberdust and Cherrydapple!"

"Emberdust! Cherrydapple! Emberdust! Cherrydapple!" the Clans cheered. Leopardnose raised her head higher to catch a glimpse of her PineClan friend raising his head high with his green eyes shining.

"Such a show off," Ryepaw mumbled. "Glad he's not in our Clan, otherwise we'll have two Moonpaw's!"

Leopardnose let out an _mrrow_ of laughter.

_Well…it's true!_

"Prey has been plentiful despite the snow for PineClan," Rumblestar meowed. "And we've strengthen our borders to keep any Clan or rogue cat out." He glared at the other leaders before stepping back.

Kinkstar flashed her fluffy tail in annoyance before beginning. "As we all know, it had been two moons since SavageClan came and threaten us, and BrambleClan has made sure that our warriors are alert and our apprentices are being trained well, and we await the next moon when those rogues come back. Like PineClan, we have new warriors as well. We welcome Duskwing, Hollowhead and Hailbreath!"

"Duskwing! Hollowhead! Hailbreath! Duskwing! Hollowhead! Hailbreath!"

"Do you think there's a reason why Kinkstar chose the name 'Hollowhead'?" Ryepaw asked Leopardnose.

"Maybe BrambleClan has a 'Moonpaw' also!" Leopardnose laughed and Ryepaw purred.

"SkyClan is doing well this leaf-bare," Froststar meowed next. "We have three new warriors as well— Thornstep, Specklefern and Windpath!"

"Thornstep! Specklefern! Windpath! Thornstep! Specklefern! Windpath!"

"I guess all the Clans have new warriors!" Ryepaw purred.

It was Redstar's turn next.

"This moon, the creek has barely frozen over, but some places aren't so CreekClan is still thriving this cold season," Redstar meowed. "Like the other Clans, CreekClan welcomes our new warriors— Pineheart, Leopardnose and Ashwhisker!"

"Pineheart! Leopardnose! Ashwhisker! Pineheart! Leopardnose! Ashwhisker!"

Leopardnose lifted her head high as the Clans cheered her name as well as her brothers'. She was well aware that Emberdust was cheering her name loudly and so was Ryepaw.

"I guess that's it then," Ryepaw commented as the leaders leapt down from High Tree. "Come on, we better join the rest of the group."

Leopardnose saw Emberdust making his way to her among the crowd of cats, and she longed to go talk to him. "Um…wait a sec. I'm going to talk to a friend. Wait up for me?"

Ryepaw's eyes brighten. "Sure!" he meowed.

Leopardnose let a sigh of relief before making her way towards her PineClan friend.

"Leopardnose!" Emberdust meowed as they touched noses. "It's good to see you, again!"

"It's good to see you, too, Emberdust," Leopardnose meowed. "So…what's up?"

"Well, the sky of course!" Emberdust purred and waved his tail. Leopardnose let out an _mrrow_ of amusement. "I, uh, just wanted to see you, that's all. It's so good to hear your voice again."

"Uh…thanks?" Leopardnose awkwardly replied. She turned her head around to see her Clan leaving. "Oh, hey, I-I have to go, now."

"I'll see you around…right?" Emberdust asked.

"I, uh, guess so!" Leopardnose purred as the two touched noses, again. She quickly turn and ran up the slope to catch up with Ryepaw, who was waiting for her. "Thanks for waiting for me!"

"No problem," Ryepaw meowed as the two dashed to catch up with their Clanmates.

* * *

Leopardnose shifted in her sleep, trying to get comfortable. For some reason, she couldn't get to sleep.

_Ugh…forget this! I better to go stretch my legs…_

The black spotted she-cat slowly padded past her Clanmates and into the clearing. Rainfrost was guarding tonight and he pricked his ears up when Leopardnose padded towards him.

"I can't sleep, so I'm going for a walk," she meowed.

Rainfrost nodded. "Just be careful out there. SavageClan might be roaming around."

"I'll be careful," Leopardnose nodded and quickly exited the camp. The feeling of the cool, fresh grass beneath her paws gave made her feel energetic, so she ran. She freely ran in the territory, dashing past trees and leaping over the creek. She loved the feeling of the wind in her fur and it seemed that all of her troubles were flying away like the wind.

Finally, she stopped at the edge of the border and sat down, panting.

"That…was worth…it," she panted. After a moments rest, she got back up to her paws. Before she could turn around for camp, she stopped. Leopardnose thought she heard something in the distance…a cat. She pricked her ears and soon she heard a cat moaning in pain, along with the fresh scent of blood. Worried, the CreekClan cat ran past the Clan border towards the scent of blood. She skidded to a halt in front of a tree and found a cat with blood oozing out from its flank and moaning in pain among the roots.

_"Full Moon!"_


	16. Chapter 15

"Full Moon!" Leopardnose wailed and rushed to her friend. The black tom's right ear the shredded and a long gash on his flank dripped blood. He lay among the roots of a tall tree and slightly moaned in pain. "What happened?"

"Blood Stain…attacked…knew you would…help…" Full Moon slightly whimpered.

"Oh, okay," Leopardnose meowed. "We need to get you to Quailfeather; he'll fix you up." She gently grasped the rogue's scruff in her jaws and slowly dragged him back to the border.

"O-Ow!" Full Moon yowled in pain. "That…hurts!"

"Sorry!" Leopardnose winced and let go of the black and white tom's scruff.

_There's no way I'll be able to drag him back to camp myself…_

"Wait here," Leopardnose instructed. "I'm going to get help."

"Like I have…a choice," Full Moon painfully joked as Leopardnose dashed in the direction of camp. The sun was beginning to rise, but was hidden by the tall, barren trees. The fierce leaf-bare wind pierced her face as she bounded for help. Dried branches slapped her pelt and roots threatened to slow her down. Panting, she finally made it to camp, but she didn't stop there. She dashed through the entrance of reeds and almost barreled into Rainfrost.

"Hey, watch it, Leopardnose!" Rainfrost spat as he sidestepped out of the way.

"Whoops; sorry!" Leopardnose apologized to the gray and white tom before sprinting towards the warriors' den.

_I better tell Pineheart and Ashwhisker about Full Moon!_

Luckily, her two brothers were just waking up and finished grooming themselves when she barged in.

"Leopardnose?" Pineheart immediately asked, scenting her fear scent. "What's wrong?"

The tired warrior took a moment to breath before replying. "Full Moon is hurt! He needs our help to get him to Quailfeather!"

"Where is he?" Ashwhisker quickly replied.

"Beyond the CreekClan border, away from the Clans," Leopardnose responded.

"We're on our way," Pineheart meowed. "Go get Quailfeather; Ashwhisker and I will handle this." The two brothers instantly bolted out of the warriors' den while Leopardnose briskly trotted over to the medicine cat's den.

"Quailfeather!" she called once she entered the den. The pale gray tabby medicine cat was sorting herbs in the storage towards the back of the den.

The medicine cat placed a pile of borage down from his mouth. "What is it?" he meowed, almost growled.

Leopardnose flinched a bit from his fierceness. She almost forgot they had fought a half-moon ago over Emberdust.

_How could he think I actually like that _arrogant_ fur-ball? Well…he's kind of nice…_

"It's Full Moon," Leopardnose meowed. When Quailfeather gave her a blank expression, she continued, "Remember the rogue that attacked us moons ago? His name is Full Moon, and he's hurt real bad."

Quailfeather let out a snort. "Why should I help someone who belongs to a group that trying to kill the Clans?"

"Because he's my friend!" Leopardnose growled. "He hates SavageClan and wants to leave it, but he can't! He wants to be a Clan cat, and he needs our help. Surly you will help an injured cat?"

Leopardnose starred into her friend's green eyes, hoping for a sign of compassion. After a few heartbeats, the storm of anger soon died away in her friends green eyes, and was replaced with sympathy.

"Take me to him," Quailfeather quickly meowed and grabbed a few herbs.

"About time you two showed up," Pineheart retorted as Leopardnose and Quailfeather appeared from behind a snow pile. The brown tom stood next to the wounded rogue, while Ashwhisker was swiftly licking the black tom's flank. Full Moon let out a low moan as the Clan cat cleaned his gash, but kept his eyes closed. He had not moved from the spot Leopardnose left him, and you could only tell he was alive by his slowly rising and falling flank.

"Sorry," Leopardnose muttered as Quailfeather padded forward and gave the rogue's wound a good sniff. Ashwhisker stepped back as the medicine cat chewed up some marigold and plastered the paste on the tom's cut. Full Moon drew his breath in sharply, but soon sighed as his pain vanished.

"We need to get him back to camp so I can apply more herbs to his flank and his ear," Quailfeather ordered as he took a step back.

"To _camp_?" Pineheart gasped. "Is that really _wise_? What if Redstar or Blackfrost saw us?"

"We'll deal with them later," Quailfeather meowed. "Right now, this cat needs my help. Carry him back to camp."

"Well, I hope I won't be the only one getting my tail bitten off by Redstar," Pineheart meowed as he nudged Full Moon to his paws.

"Redstar would have a cat heart-attack when he sees us," Ashwhisker meowed as he helped Full Moon to his paws. The rogue hanged limply from the two toms' shoulders as he was dragged away to their camp.

Leopardnose felt her pelt prickle with unease as they grew closer to camp. She could only imagine what her Clanmates would think once they saw them carrying a rogue cat into their home—especially a cat who once tried to kill her! But Leopardnose knew Full Moon would never hurt her again.

_He is my friend…right?_

Her thoughts were driven away as they neared the camp. With a finally glance at her brothers behind her, she led the way into their base. At first, no one noticed her, but once Pineheart and Ashwhisker trotted in supporting Full Moon, things got interesting.

"I smell SavageClan!" Viperstrike announced from his trout. Once he set his amber eyes on Full Moon, a low growl rose from his throat.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Berrycloud appeared from the warriors' den and her shoulder fur rose.

"Rogue!" Steelclaw hissed and took a step closer to the rogue.

"Cat killer!" Moonpaw snarled and slowly puffed up his gray tabby fur. Skypaw appeared from the apprentices' den and lightly brushed her flank against her denmate's.

"He's injured!" Skypaw meowed.

"Yeah, but he's an enemy of the Clans!" Moonpaw growled and lashed out his tail.

Soon, Redstar padded forward to Leopardnose and Quailfeather once Pineheart and Ashwhisker had disappeared into the medicine cat's den with their friend. The CreekClan leader stood tall with his teeth slightly barred. Blackfrost was next to him and his brilliant green eyes blazed with anger.

"Why have you brought a _savage_ into our camp?" Redstar growled to the two cats. Soon, Pineheart and Ashwhisker appeared from the den and joined their friends with their leader and deputy.

"He's not a savage!" Leopardnose couldn't help but growl. "He's our **friend**!"

Stripedwhisker let out a snort. "Some friend who trying to kill us all!"

More cats raised their voices in agreement with the dark brown tabby warrior, before Redstar raised his tail for silence.

"He's not like the rest of them," Leopardnose objected. "His name is Full Moon and he _hates_ living with SavageClan. Their leader, Smoke Claws, will kill you if you speak out against his ruling or if you try to escape. Full Moon _wants_ to escape! He has no family left…only us. _We_ are his _friends_! We are like his _family_! Even though we've only seen a few times…I trust him."

"How **can** you trust **him**?" Jayspirit, the elder, growled.

"I don't know why!" Leopardnose shot back. "Something just tells me…that I should." Turning to Redstar, she added, "He wants to join CreekClan and become a warrior."

"How do you know that?" Wingflight snapped.

"I don't know!" Leopardnose repeated. "It's like…I know what he's feeling…" Even though he wasn't here, she could hear his voice urging her on.

_Yes! That's it! Go on! Tell them that I don't want to be a SavageClan cat anymore! I want to be a Clan cat!_

Leopardnose took a deep breath and gazed at all of her Clanmates. They were staring at her, waiting for her to say something. She thought for a moment about what she was about to say before continuing on.

"We are _warriors_," Leopardnose went on. "Even though we are all different, we are all bounded by the same code—the warrior code. It is this code that tells us how to protect ourselves and make sure the future generations have a chance of survival by following the pawsteps of their ancestors. It is with this code that separates us from rogues and loners, who are too afraid to turn to each other for help, and even those filthy kittypets, who will never feel the cool grass beneath their paws or to know what it truly means to be free. We have something that they all don't have, and probably will never have, **compassion**. For _them_, they only care for _themselves_; for _us_, we care for **each other**. And if a rogue wants to repent and become a Clan cat…shouldn't we show compassion towards him, and give him a chance to become a warrior, to prove to others that he can be just as kind, just as generous, and just as valor as us, just like we did for Skypaw? Consider this among yourselves, my Clanmates, should we at least show _compassion_ and give Full Moon time to _justify_ himself?"

Few whispers were heard among the Clan, and Redstar shared a glance with his deputy. After what seem like moons, he replied.

"Very well," Redstar meowed. "We shall give this newcomer a chance to become a warrior."

Never before had Leopardnose felt so relieved as she let out a sigh. As the Clan went back to their work, she followed Quailfeather into the medicine cat's den for Full Moon's treatment. The medicine pressed his muzzle against her ear and his breath warmed her fur.

"That was inspiring…what you said back there," Quailfeather murmured as he gave Leopardnose a lick on the ear. "We should all show compassion, because of the warrior code. I've learned that now…all thanks to you." He rubbed his muzzle against her flank.

"It all just…came to me," Leopardnose confessed as Quailfeather groomed her messy fur. She didn't have time to groom it that morning. "It's strange," she meowed and glanced at Full Moon. He was asleep in a nest with cobwebs plastered to his ear and flank and his tail twitched a little as he dreamed. "I feel like I've known him my whole life for some reason…like I know what he's thinking or something like that. Will he be alright?"

"His wound should heal in a few days," Quailfeather responded as he nuzzled her ear. "I'm…sorry about what I said a half-moon ago. I guess I was jealous of Emberdust."

"_Jealous_?" Leopardnose let out an mrrow of amusement. "I could never imagine _you_ jealous!" She purred as he lightly touched her nose to his muzzle. Soon, she let out a huge yawn and was surprised how tired she was.

"Tired?" Quailfeather guess and Leopardnose nodded. She'd been up for most of the night and now it was almost sunhigh. "Here." He led her to his nest and let her settle down in it. "Rest for a while, medicine cat's orders." Leopardnose let out a soft purr as Quailfeather gently lapped her pelt until she fell asleep.

* * *

"Ha! Got ya this time, Moonshadow!" Full Moon yowled with joy as he pinned down the dark gray tabby tom in the snow.

Moonshadow sniffed the snow away from his nose. "Okay, okay, you got me this time!" the new warrior reluctantly agreed as Full Moon got off of him.

"I thought I never see the day when Moonshadow would get beaten in a fight," Ryeleaf joked to Leopardnose, who was sitting not far from the two toms.

"Neither have I," Leopardnose laughed. She was impressed with Full Moon's training so far, since he has only been training for a half-moon so far. He was respectful to Moonshadow and Ryeleaf when the two had their ceremony a few days ago and he even honored the senior warriors. She even heard Stripedwhisker congratulating him on catching a large pike from the creek.

_You'll never hear that again!_

Icetalon even let Full Moon see her new-born kits without snarling at him. The dark brown tabby and white warrior had kitted a quarter moon earlier and had given birth to two kits— Risingkit—a dark brown tabby tom with white paws and tail-tip and blue eyes—and also Frozenkit—black and white she-cat with green eyes. Wingflight walked around the camp proudly and visited his mate and kits whenever he had time.

Leopardnose's green eyes gazed to the nick in his ear. His flank wound had healed, but he will forever have that cut in his black ear. Full Moon had told Leopardnose earlier that Blood Stain had tried to kill him when the SavageClan deputy found out that Full Moon was planning to leave the group. Full Moon fought back and managed to escape Blood Stain's claws and trek to CreekClan territory, where Leopardnose found him outside the border. According to Full Moon, he's lucky to be alive.

"Phew!" Moonshadow panted and sat down in the snow. "I'm tired now. I'm heading back to camp. Coming, Full Moon?"

"In a bit," the black and white tom replied. Moonshadow shrugged and pelted towards camp.

"I better go with him," Ryeleaf meowed to Leopardnose before sprinting after his brother.

"Is something wrong, Full Moon?" Leopardnose asked. For some reason, Full Moon seemed anxious today.

"Huh? Oh…nothing," Full Moon replied and gave his wounded ear a good lick. He padded towards his friend. "Remember the last time we met before I joined CreekClan? Remember how I promised to find out who your father was?"

"Well…did you?" Leopardnose pressed, and her heart almost skipped a beat.

"Yes," Full Moon meowed. "I talked to this cat before I left SavageClan. His name was Hooked Fang, and he's one of the oldest cats in the group. He knows everything about everyone, and if there's a secret, he knows about it."

"Well? What did he say?" Leopardnose asked.

"He said he heard rumors about your mother, Honeywhisker, meeting up with a PineClan cat by the name of Ravenwing," Full Moon meowed.

"_Ravenwing_?" Leopardnose thought for a moment. "Yeah, I've seen him at Gatherings before, but I've never talked to him. Are you sure that Hooked Fang is correct?"

"He's never been wrong before," Full Moon replied. "That means Ravenwing is your father, Leopardnose."

"I'm…I'm half PineClan…" Leopardnose meowed, barely a whisper. She was half-Clan?

Full Moon tipped his head. "Is that alright with you?"

"Uh, yeah! I'm just…so…shocked that I can finally meet my father for the first time," Leopardnose meowed.

_I know who my father is!_

"Hey, what's going on?" Pineheart asked as he and Ashwhisker padded into the clearing.

"Pineheart! Ashwhisker!" Leopardnose exclaimed excitedly. "You won't believe what Full Moon told me!"

As she quickly explained to her brothers what their Clanmate said, Pineheart's and Ashwhisker's amber eyes grew wide.

"We have a father!" Ashwhisker yowled.

"Shh! Not so loud!" Full Moon growled. "Others might here you."

"Right; sorry!" Ashwhisker winced.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go meet him!" Pineheart exclaimed and started walked towards the PineClan border.

"Wait—right now?" Leopardnose asked.

"Why not?" Pineheart asked.

"What if there is a patrol?"

"We just saw one past by a few minutes ago," Ashwhisker explained. "On the way here."

"Well…I guess so…"

"Then come on!" Pineheart meowed and bounced a little on his paws. "Let's go! You too, Full Moon!" Soon the dark brown warrior was bounded towards the Clan border with his three friends behind him.

_I still can't believe that we are going to meet our father!_ Leopardnose thought as she leapt across the creek. _I wonder if he remembers Honeywhisker…or if he even knows that we exist? I'm just so excited!_

Soon, pine trees loomed over the four cats and the stench of PineClan flowed over the CreekClan cats.

"Now I know why I love the pine trees so much!" Ashwhisker purred as he gazed up at the dark trees.

"Do you see anyone?" Leopardnose asked as she looked around.

"There!" Pineheart meowed and pointed with his tail. A dark shadow was stalking what appeared to be a crow. With a mighty leap, but shadow quickly caught the bird and killed it in a swift bite.

"Nice catch!" Ashwhisker called over. The shadow froze and gazed over the four cats. The blackness padded over until it stepped into the light to reveal a battle-scarred black tom with gleaming amber eyes.

"What do you want?" the tom asked as Full Moon let out a gasp.

"Are _you_ Ravenwing?" Pineheart asked.

"Yes."

The three littermates exchanged bewildered gazes. "Do you remember a cat named Honeywhisker?" Leopardnose asked.

Ravenwing froze at that sound of that name. "So what if I did?"

"I can't believe it!" Ashwhisker purred. "You're our father!"

The PineClan cat's amber eyes grew wide with shock.

"Full Moon…what's wrong?" Leopardnose asked as she noticed her friend was staring intently at her father. The black and white tom padded up until he was at the edge of the border.

"Is…it really you?" Full Moon meowed, almost a whisper.

"What?" Pineheart asked.

"What are you talking about?" Ashwhisker asked.

Full Moon ignored him as realization flared in his green eyes. "_Father_!"


	17. Chapter 16

"_Father_?!" Ashwhisker echoed.

"What do you mean he's _your_ father?" Pineheart asked his amber eyes wide.

Full Moon did not reply, but kept staring at the PineClan cat. "It is _you_…isn't it?"

For a few heartbeats, Ravenwing did not reply. "It's good to see you again, too, son," the black tom meowed.

"Shadow's Caw!" Full Moon gasped and his black tail curled up. "It's really you!"

"Of course it is," Ravenwing meowed, almost a growl. "I never expected to see you with _CreekClan_ cats." The PineClan tom's ear drew back when he said that word.

The black and white tom puffed out his chest. "I'm one of them now."

Ravenwing said nothing, but narrowed his amber eyes.

"Um…_hello_?" Leopardnose stubbornly asked. "Can _someone_ explain what is going on?!"

"When Ravenwing—renamed Shadow's Caw—was in SavageClan, he took a mate, Pitch Black, and had my siblings and me. After my mother was killed by a monster, he disappeared without a trace," Full Moon explained and turned to Ravenwing. "Why did you leave us there? No, how could you leave us? We needed you, and you abandoned us! Why?"

Ravenwing narrowed his eyes. "I lost interest in SavageClan and that mouse-dunged Smoke Claw, so I decided to leave, and that pathetic Clan of his failed to catch me when I did."

"So…you didn't care about us?" Full Moon quietly asked. When Ravenwing did not reply, the black tom went on. "After you left us, Blood Stain killed Scorched Pelt when he found out that he was stealing for himself, and White Puddles was also killed when Smoke Claw found out that she was planning to escape SavageClan."

"I am sorry to hear about Scorched Pelt's and White Puddles' demises," Ravenwing meowed. "But SavageClan is nothing to me anymore. I'm loyal to PineClan and PineClan _alone_." He looked at the three CreekClan cats. "And that includes CreekClan cats!"

Leopardnose flinched at his harsh words. Their father didn't care about them?

"W-What about Honeywhisker?" Leopardnose insisted. "Didn't you love her?"

Ravenwing glared at his daughter for a heartbeat, but then sighed. "I always knew Honeywhisker never loved me in the first place, but I did. She was always in love with my brother, Eclipsesong, whose patrol saved her life when a badger attacked. They were unable to save her sister, though, and Eclipsesong helped Honeywhisker get over her sister's death. Over time…she fell in love with him, and he fell in love with her. But then…there was a war. CreekClan declared war with PineClan and a great battle was fought. Eclipsesong refused to injure any of Honeywhisker's Clanmates and protected her against his own. Leafblaze—Honeywhisker's older brother—thought that Eclipsesong was attacking his sister, and brutally pounced on him. Before Honeywhisker could stop him, Eclipsesong was dead.

"After the battle, I did my best to comfort her, just like Eclipsesong had done before. And I guess over time, she fell in love with, and I, too, was in love with her. When Honeywhisker told me that she was expecting kits one day, I assumed she wanted to join PineClan with me, but she had other plans. She didn't want to continue meeting with me at night anymore, and said that our kits were not mine. Honeywhisker said our relationship was over...and I left. The only reason she broke up with me was because she was still in love with my dead brother, and not me! I vowed from that moment on that I had nothing to do with Honeywhisker or her Clan anymore and that all CreekClan cats were my enemy."

Leopardnose's heart went out to her father. He was a lonely tom who wanted nothing more than Honeywhisker's love. He felt pain. He felt sorrow. He felt betrayal.

Before Leopardnose could say anything, a yowl was heard, and was followed by more cries of pain, coming from the PineClan territory. Ravenwing whipped his head around and his shoulder fur rose a bit. "The camp's being attacked!"

"We'll come with you," Pineheart immediately volunteered.

"No—go help your own Clan!" Ravenwing snapped as screeches came from the CreekClan territory. "You have your own problems." With no hesitation, Ravenwing sped off in his territory.

"That sounds like Stripedwhisker!" Ashwhisker recalled as a yowl of pain was heard.

"The camp's being attacked!" Pineheart yowled and sprinted for camp with the others fast behind him.

As they neared the camp, a strong scent of fear and blood rose in the air.

_Great StarClan, no! Wait—I know that scent!_ Leopardnose scented the air, again. _SavageClan! They've attacked the camp!_

Full Moon seemed to have recognized the scent, too, because he dashed ahead of Pineheart and burst into the camp with snow flying behind him. Leopardnose chased after him as the scent of blood hit her like a wave once she entered the camp.

Several SavageClan cats have invaded the camp. In the middle of the camp, Redstar tussled around with Blood Stain, with blood lying in the snow around them.

By the warriors' den, Stripedwhisker and Blackfrost were in a heated battle with Screeching Eagle—a dark brown tabby tom—and Blazing Fire—and dark ginger tabby tom. As Stripedwhisker slashed Screeching Eagle's face, Twisted Dreams—a dark gray tabby tom—rushed over and snapped at the CreekClan tom's hind leg. Stripedwhisker yowled and quickly clawed Twisted Dreams away, but Screeching Eagle saw his chance and pounced on the dark brown tabby tom. Flyingcloud, Cedarstep and Otterwhisker rushed over to help them.

A yowl of alarm came from the nursery as Leaping Squirrel—a pale brown tom—and Cloud Tuft—a small, white tom, slowly advanced towards the den. Icetalon was in front of it, trying to defend her kits. Wingflight heard his mate's cry for help and rushed over. The white tom with a black tail-tip shoved the two SavageClan toms away and growled.

Steelclaw and Viperstrike tried to fight their way past Snake Bite—a dark ginger tabby tom—and Gray Dawn—a pale gray tabby she-cat—to help Hawkfeather and Softbelly, who were fighting Silent Whisper—a pale gray tabby she-cat—and Graceful Meadow—a pale golden tabby she-cat. Snake Bite bit Steelclaw's front paw, but the gray tom shook him off. Nothing would stop him from helping his sister.

Lightningstrike let out a hiss as Dark Whispers—a dark smokey black tom—tackled her. Ryeleaf rushed over to help her, but was attacked by Bright Berry—a dark smokey black she-cat.

The elders—Jayspirit and Tinyspirit—were defending their boulder den together. Dark Rocks—a dark gray tom—and Dirty Ground—a pale gray she-cat—were slowly advancing on the two mates. Jayspirit let out a growl and swiftly slashed away Dark Rocks, while Tinyspirit clawed Dirty Ground's ear.

"Just because we're elders, doesn't mean we can't fight!" Tinyspirit threatened.

"We haven't forgotten our training yet!" Jayspirit hissed as Dark Rocks came back.

Moonshadow and Skypaw were fighting side-by-side as Flying Spirit—a pale brown tabby she-cat—and Night Song—a black she-cat—were circling them. Flying Spirit suddenly attacked Skypaw, but surprisingly, the former kittypet reeled back on her hind paws and slashed the SavageClan cat back.

A fluffy white tom was attacking Berrycloud not far. He pinned down her paws and had his mouth around her throat.

"I'm going to help her," Pineheart meowed and rushed over. Ashwhisker followed him.

Leopardnose scanned the camp for a certain tom.

_There!_

Quailfeather was helping Lilybreeze to her paws not far from the medicine cat's den. The pale gray tabby warrior had a wound on her flank and stumbled on her paws. As the medicine cat helped his Clanmate into the hollow tree trunk, Fox Run—a small, dark ginger tom—followed him in. A heartbeat later, the SavageClan apprentice dashed out with Quailfeather not far behind. The medicine cat stopped not far from the tree, and quickly ran back inside.

A sudden force knocked Leopardnose down and she came face-to-face with a black she-cat with white flecks and gleaming green eyes.

"Clan scum!" the she-cat growled and raised her front paw for a striking blow. Before she could rake Leopardnose's eyes out, Full Moon tackled her and pinned her down.

"No, Star Sight!" Full Moon growled. The she-cat's green eyes grew wide as she recognized her old friend.

"Full Moon?!" she gasped. "You're alive!"

"Of course I am!" Full Moon snapped.

"We thought you were dead!"

"I'm not dead! I've joined CreekClan!"

"Why would you do that?"

"Can't you see? SavageClan is nothing but a bunch of rogues who do nothing, but kill the innocent! I don't want to be like that…I want to live in a life where there is justice and compassion, not cruelty. This is where I belong!" Full Moon growled. "_You_ don't belong with them, either, Star Sight! Remember how we used to plan to escape SavageClan?" He stepped off of his friend and let her get up. "Join me, Star Sight! With the Clans, we can get rid of Smoke Claw and his no-good Clan!"

The SavageClan apprentice just stared at her friend. She looked around and saw the blood stain the soft snow. After a few heartbeats, she meowed. "Yes…I will join you, Full Moon."

Full Moon let out a purr of happiness and touched his nose to her muzzle. "Then help me save CreekClan!"

Mischief flared in Star Sight's eyes as she and Full Moon attacked Screeching Eagle.

Yowls filled the air as Leopardnose saw Pineheart pinned to the ground by a dark brown tabby tom with a hooked tooth.

_Hooked Fang!_

Leopardnose yowled and tackled Hooked Fang. The two tussled around until Hooked Fang slashed her away. Yowling, she slammed into Hanging Branch and looked up. An idea sudden forged into her head as she clawed Hooked Fang's muzzle. While the tom was distracted, she swiftly climbed up Hanging Branch and watched as her prey spun around, looking for her. When the time was right, Leopardnose leapt from the branch and smacked into the SavageClan warrior. The tom yowled and quickly pelted away.

"SavageClan, retreat!" Blood Stain yowled, as Redstar slashed at the tom's flank. The skinny rogues quickly left their battles and pelted away into the forest.

"Blackfrost, Steelclaw, Pineheart and Moonshadow," Redstar ordered. "Make sure they've left the territory."

The four toms immediately dashed after the SavageClan cats at their leader's order.

"Is every cat alright?" Redstar called.

"Icetalon and the kits are safe," Wingflight called over from the nursery.

"We're fine!" Jayspirit yowled. "Just a few scratches, that's all."

"Hmph! We showed those SavageClan cats that we can still fight!" Tinyspirit rasped.

After several yowls of 'we're okay', Redstar ordered that the most injured—Berrycloud, Ashwhisker and Hawkfeather—would see Quailfeather immediately. By now, the patrol had returned.

"Those SavageClan cats are long gone!" Moonshadow meowed happily.

"We met up with some PineClan cats," Steelclaw meowed. "They say that their camp was attacked, too."

"And same with SkyClan and BrambleClan," Pineheart included.

"The battle is about a half-moon away," Blackfrost meowed. "Do you think the SavageClan cats attacked us because they wanted to weaken the Clans before the battle?"

"It makes sense," Flyingcloud agreed.

"Well…when the battle comes, we'll show them that nothing can weaken our Clan!" Moonshadow meowed. Meows of approval erupted for the young tom.

"Alright, settle down, now," Redstar meowed and looked at Star Sight. "We seem to have a visitor, here."

"M-My name is Star Sight," the she-cat meowed. "I…want to join CreekClan."

"_Another_ SavageClan cat wants to join?" Viperstrike sniffed.

"Now, hold up, Viperstrike!" Stripedwhisker meowed. "This cat saved my life when two SavageClan cats attacked me. I think we should allow her to join us. Besides, it's SavageClan's lose and our gain."

"I think we should, too!" Leopardnose announced.

After yowls of agreement, Redstar spoke up.

"It's settled then," he meowed. "Star Sight shall join CreekClan. And…I have warriors to make. Full Moon and Star Sight shall receive their names today, along with Skypaw. She has proved herself to be a strong warrior today and deserves her warrior name." Redstar stood up tall. "I, Redstar, leader of CreekClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these cats. They have trained hard to follow your noble code and I ask you to make them warriors in return. Full Moon, Star Sight and Skypaw, do you promise to defend and protect your Clan and uphold the warrior code, even with the cost of your life?"

"I do," Full Moon meowed, and no cat doubted that he did.

"I do," Star Sight meowed reluctantly, but her eyes shone proudly.

"I do," Skypaw agreed, almost a whisper.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names!" Redstar yowled. "Full Moon, from this moment on, you shall be known as Nightstrike! CreekClan honors your courage and wisdom and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to the former SavageClan's nose. Nightstrike licked Redstar's shoulder in return.

"Star Sight," Redstar went on. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Spottednight! CreekClan honors your honesty and your will to change and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

Redstar touched his muzzle to the young she-cat's nose. She licked his shoulder in return.

"Skypaw," Redstar meowed. "From this moment on, you shall be known as Skytree! CreekClan honors your kindness and bravery and we welcome you as a full warrior of CreekClan."

The dark red tom touched his muzzle to the white she-cat. The former kittypet licked her leader's shoulder in return.

"Nightstrike! Spottednight! Skytree! Nightstrike! Spottednight! Skytree!" the Clan yowled, Pineheart, Leopardnose, Ashwhisker and Moonshadow being the loudest.

* * *

Leopardnose padded into the night. She loved being in the territory at night, when the nocturnal animals came out and her ancestors shone brightly above the barren trees. She padded towards the creek and came to a part where the water had refused to freeze. Gingerly, she lowered herself down and lapped at the crystal-clear water.

The sounds of snow crunching behind her made the she-cat jumped and twirl around. Quailfeather was staring at her with arrogance in his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" he insisted and curled his tail around his paws. "Your wounds won't heal if you don't rest."

"I know," Leopardnose sighed. "I just felt like…I had to get away for a while, that's all."

Quailfeather purred and touched his nose to her ear. "Of course you would disobey a medicine cat's orders!" he joked.

Leopardnose bore her teeth teasingly before splashing Quailfeather with cold water.

"Hey!" Quailfeather cried as he leapt back and shook his dampened pelt. "What was that for?"

"For being rude to me!" Leopardnose joked. Quailfeather playfully growled and gently shoved Leopardnose a bit. She stumbled for a heartbeat before plunging into the creek. The cold water took her breath away and she quickly surged upward.

"What was that for?" Leopardnose asked as she staggered out of the creek with her teeth chattering.

"For getting me wet," Quailfeather meowed. "I didn't mean to make you tumble into the creek." He winced a bit as Leopardnose shook the water off her fur.

"Great StarClan, now I'm cold," Leopardnose meowed and shivered. Quailfeather padded up to her and pressed his flank against hers.

"Sorry about that," Quailfeather meowed. "We better get you back to camp before you catch your death out here."

"You don't say?" Leopardnose meowed as the two padded side-by-side to camp.

When they arrived in camp, Quailfeather led her to his den. A few warriors were in the den, and Quailfeather led her to his nest in the back.

"Here," he meowed and motioned her to his moss-lined nest. Leopardnose gingerly settled down in the soft berth as Quailfeather settled down next to her. He slowly lapped at her sodden pelt until it was dry and fluffy.

"Thanks," Leopardnose meowed and gave her pelt a good grooming.

"Leopardnose…" Quailfeather began as she continued grooming her fur. "There is something…I've been meaning to tell you."

"I'm listening," she meowed as she groomed her face.

Quailfeather waited for a few heartbeats before continuing. "I've really enjoyed these past seasons with you. I liked how you let me become your friend and comforted me when Bubblespots passed away. I've seen you grow up to the beautiful she-cat you are now…and I realize now that…"

Leopardnose stopped in mid-lick when she realized what Quailfeather was trying to say. She stopped and looked at him, signaling for him to continue.

"I…I love you, Leopardnose! I love everything about you; the way you're not afraid to speak your mind; how determined you can be; and how your green eyes light up whenever you laugh." Quailfeather revealed. "I…just hope that you feel the same way as I do."

Leopardnose's drew in a sharp breath. Quailfeather _loved_ her? He actually _loved_ her? After a few heartbeats, she gave his cheek a lick. "Quailfeather…I've always had feelings about you, and I'm glad that you love me. I love you, too."

Quailfeather's eyes lit up in happiness. "You…you do?"

"Of course I do," Leopardnose purred and rubbed her muzzle against his. Quailfeather let out a soft purr and gave her muzzle a lick. The golden spotted she-cat purred back and could feel him twin his tail with hers.

_Nothing can possibly go wrong now that I have Quailfeather with me! Nothing!_

* * *

Leopardnose woke up drowsily the next day. The sun had risen above the arid trees and shone in the den. She looked up from the nest to discover that Quailfeather was gone and a scrawny mouse next to the nest. She quickly devoured the skinny creature before stretching.

"About time you woke up," Quailfeather chided and padded into the hollowed-tree. He nuzzled Leopardnose on the ear. "You better come outside."

Leopardnose blinked at him. "Why?"

"You'll see." He gently nudged her up and led her outside.

_What that fear I saw in his eyes?_

Most of the Clan was up, but Leopardnose was surprised when she saw Rumblestar with some of his warriors inside the camp. Most of the PineClan warriors were covered in scratches, just like the CreekClan warriors. She recognized Emberdust among the injured enemy warriors.

"What do you want, Rumblestar?" Redstar asked the enemy Clan leader.

Rumblestar bore his teeth. "I have learned that there are traitors among us, Redstar; in **both** of our Clans!"

"What's he squawking about _this_ time?" Jayspirit snapped from the elders' den. _Mrrows_ broke out in both Clans how the elder was not afraid to taunt the PineClan leader.

Rumblestar's shoulder fur rose a bit. "I'm _talking_ about three of your warriors. They do not belong here and had tainted blood."

A low growl rose from Redstar's throat. "Are you talking about our new warriors?" He glanced at Nightstrike, Spottednight and Skytree, who were sitting not far.

Rumblestar shook his head. "Not _those_ tainted warriors; others!"

"Who?" Steelclaw asked.

The PineClan leader swerved his head to Leopardnose, and the CreekClan warrior swore she felt her heart stop. "That one, along with her brothers—Pineheart and Ashwhisker!"

Leopardnose stared at the brown tabby tom with wide eyes. She felt Quailfeather pressed against her reassuringly.

"Hey! Those are my kits you are talking about!" Blackfrost spat.

"They are not _your_ kits!" Rumblestar growled and turned to Ravenwing. "They're _his_! Isn't that true…Ravenwing?"

The black tom held his head high. "It's true. These are my kits as well as Honeywhisker's."

Blackfrost stared in shock at the black PineClan warrior.

"She _lied_ to you, Blackfrost," Ravenwing growled. "Face it. She **never** loved you or me in the first place. She's still in love with my brother, Eclipsesong."

The CreekClan deputy's mouth fell in surprise and he started to shake a bit. He slowly staggered away into the warriors' den. Jayspirit and Tinyspirit, his parents, followed him in.

"Ravenwing of PineClan and Honeywhisker of CreekClan have both broken the warrior code by having Pineheart, Leopardnose and Ashwhisker, and they must be punished for their crimes," Rumblestar growled, ignoring the pain-stricken Blackfrost.

"Wait—punished?" Softbelly cried. "Why punish the kits? They've done nothing wrong!"

"Yeah, punish Ravenwing, for StarClan's sake!" Lightningstrike insisted.

"You are right," Rumblestar meowed. "I have punished Ravenwing for his crimes, but the kits must be punished, too. What if there's another battle between our Clans? How will we know which Clan they are loyal to?"

Leopardnose froze in shock as she heard some of her Clanmates softly agree with the PineClan leader. "How could _you_ think that we wouldn't be loyal to our Clan? We were born and raised as CreekClan warriors, and we will be loyal to the Clan who we grew up with. You've known my brothers and me our entire lives, and _now_ you doubt our _loyalty_?"

She could see some of her Clanmates' heads down in shame, and Leopardnose knew she had some of them convinced that she was right.

"Redstar—" Rumblestar meowed. "The only punishment that these three cats deserve is banishment."

"Banishment?" Otterwhisker echoed.

"Isn't that a bit too harsh?" Viperstrike asked.

"Not for these three cats!" Rumblestar growled ad turned to Redstar. "If you don't banish these cats, I will have to use force, instead." He flexed his claws. "And I don't care if there is a battle just over the horizon or not."

Redstar glanced warily at the three siblings and the vicious PineClan warriors, who were prepared to fight.

_He can't possibly be thinking…_

The great CreekClan leader let out a sigh. "Enough blood has been spilled already." He glanced at the red patches that littered the camp grounds. "These three will be banished."

Gasps spread like wildfires among the CreekClan cats. Leopardnose couldn't believe it; they were going to be banished!

"Come on, you three! Come forward!" Rumblestar barked.

Quailfeather gave Leopardnose a quick lick before she padded forward. Her brothers did the same. Rumblestar let out a growl and dug his claws further into the ground.

"If you dare hurt them, Rumblestar, I'll give you something else to worry about," Redstar threatened and his fur rose a bit. Leopardnose couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude towards her Clan leader. He still cared for them, even though they were going to be sent away.

Rumblestar narrowed his eyes at the CreekClan leader, the put his claws away. "You three have defected blood in you, and so you must be banished from the Clans. You must never be seen on **any** Clan territory and will be treated like an enemy cat if you are. You three are now _forbidden_!" He glanced around the camp. "_Leave_."

Before Leopardnose could do anything, a voice yowled loudly.

"Wait!" Ryeleaf yowled and stepped forward. "I wish to say something so that the Clans will hear."

"Go on," Rumblestar meowed quietly.

Ryeleaf padded closer and held his head tall. "Leopardnose…"

_Oh, please don't say what I think you're about to say!_

"…I…I love you, Leopardnose!" the pale brown tabby warrior announced.

Gasps, again, filled the clearing and Leopardnose's heart froze.

_What should I say?_

She quickly glanced at Quailfeather who stared at his paws.

"I…I love you, too, Ryeleaf…" Leopardnose meowed.

Ryeleaf smiled happily and let out a purr.

"Get a move on!" Rumblestar growled and shoved Leopardnose forward. Ryeleaf let out a threatening growl at the PineClan leader.

"I'm going!" Leopardnose snapped and glanced at the familiar faces behind her. "I guess this is…good-bye…"

With the sun slowly climbing in the morning sky, Leopardnose left the only home she ever knew.


	18. Chapter 17

Snow crunched under Leopardnose's paws. She let her tail drag behind her while her two brothers padded ahead. Above them, the sun shone blissfully in the clear afternoon sky.

_How is this possible…? This must be some sort of dream, perhaps…? _

But no matter how hard she tried, Leopardnose knew that this wasn't a dream.

She and her brothers were _banished_.

"We're almost out of Clan territory," Pineheart announced from up ahead.

"I can't tell if I'm relieved…or heartbroken to hear that!" Ashwhisker joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Leopardnose let out a low growl and flashed out her tail. Her actions were clear— _Sissy in a bad mood. Don't talk to her!_

Ashwhisker quickly got the message and didn't say anything after that.

With a snort, Leopardnose continued to glower at her paws. She wished Pineheart would not walk so quickly, but she knew his reasons.

_"You three have defected blood in you, and so you must be banished from the Clans."_ Leopardnose bore her teeth as she heard Rumblestar's voice in her head. _"You must never be seen on __**any**__ Clan territory and will be treated like an enemy cat if you are. You three are now _forbidden_!"_

"You think the rest of the Clan will miss us?" Ashwhisker bravely spoke up with a glance at Leopardnose.

"Maybe…" Leopardnose muttered.

"I don't know about you guys, but I can't even _think_ of talking with Blackfrost after what happened earlier," Pineheart meowed. "I mean…we've known for a while that he wasn't our father, but after today…overall, I'm proud to have been his son."

"Same here," Ashwhisker agreed, while Leopardnose nodded. Blackfrost had been a good father to them in the past moons. He was always there for them and was never afraid to help them with their training when they were apprentices.

_I wonder about the rest of the Clan? _

_Redstar…Softbelly…Stripedwhisker…Rainfrost…Berrycl oud…Flyingcloud…Wingflight…Icetalon…Moonshadow…Qua ilfeather—_

Her heart leapt for joy when she thought of her dear friend. _Oh, Quailfeather! How I miss him so much! I wonder what he is doing right now…or if he misses me…?_

She immediately thought of Ryeleaf and about his confession earlier that day.

_Oh, Leopardnose! What were you_ thinking_?_ _He confesses to you, and you say 'I love you, too'! That's so stupid! Ryeleaf is just a friend and nothing else! Uh…right…?_

"This is it everybody," Pineheart meowed and suddenly stopped. Leopardnose didn't need to be told where they were. After all…

She could recognize the CreekClan border anywhere.

Leopardnose turned back to gaze at the snow-covered ground; the barren trees; the familiar sound of the creek nearby and the comfort of home.

_Great StarClan, how can you let this happen?_

With a wave of their tails, the former CreekClan cats reluctantly turned their backs to the scent marks and left the only home they've ever knew.

* * *

"How far are we going to walk, Pineheart?" Leopardnose complained. They've been walking for a few hours and her paws were cold and hurting from the rough ground.

"Far enough," Pineheart meowed from ahead.

"I really hope we don't run into any SavageClan cats," Ashwhisker commented.

"Way to make the moment even worse, Ashwhisker," Leopardnose chided.

"Sorry!" Ashwhisker winced as Leopardnose gave him an evil glare.

"Shh!" Pineheart meowed and suddenly stopped. "Can you hear that?"

Leopardnose paused for a few seconds, but she heard nothing. Right before she was about to growl at Pineheart, the golden spotted she-cat heard the sound of pawsteps.

"It's coming from over there!" Ashwhisker whispered and pointed with his tail to a tall snow bank. The sound of rushed pawsteps was heard from behind the mound of white snow, and it was getting louder…and louder…

"It's coming straight for us!" Pineheart warned.

A sudden flash of black and white soared over the pile and landed right in front of the three littermates. It was a black and white cat with a shortened tail and a cut in his left ear. The loner slowly opened his green eyes and quickly leapt to his paws. As he leapt, a bright, ragged green collar around his neck gently rattled.

"What's a kittypet doing here?" Ashwhisker snorted.

The kittypet ignored the smokey-gray warrior. "Who are you?" he asked.

Pineheart let out a cautious growl. "Who are _you_?" he snapped.

The tom gazed calmly at the dark brown warrior. "I'm Ohio."

"_Ohio_?" Leopardnose echoed.

The black and white kittypet nodded. "Yeah, it means 'beautiful river' where I come from."

"Where _do_ you come from?" Leopardnose pressed.

Ohio shrugged. "I don't know, but it's not here, that's for sure." He gave his paw a quick lick and swiped it over his left ear, which had a cut in it. "Who are you?"

Leopardnose exchanged a quick glance with her brothers, making sure that they were following along— _Kittypets = Minnow-brains_

"I'm Pineheart," the former CreekClan warrior meowed. "And these are my siblings— Leopardnose and Ashwhisker." He pointed with his tail to two warriors next to him. "We're from CreekClan."

"**Oh**!" Ohio exclaimed. "You're one of those Clan cats, then! _That_ explains the weird names and all of those rumors going around."

"Rumors?" Ashwhisker repeated. "You mean those rumors about us growing to the size of badgers when we get angry?"

"Those are the ones!" Ohio chirped. "Though, they are obviously fake!"

"Are you sure?" Leopardnose teased and puffed out her fur. "You better not make me angry!" she hissed.

Ohio only yawned. "Yeah, not buying it, Clanny. The others and I have seen Clan cats before."

Before Leopardnose could snap at Ohio for calling her a 'Clanny', Pineheart spoke up.

"Others? You mean there are more kittypets out here?" Pineheart asked, while glaring slightly at his sister.

"Yeah; my older brother and younger sister!" Ohio meowed. "Come on, I'll show you!" With a wave of his tail, the kittypet dashed over the snow mound.

"Wait up!" Pineheart meowed and quickly sprinted after the kittypet with his siblings at his heels.

_Can't this kittypet slow down? I never knew kittypets had this much energy!_

After chasing the sprightly black and white kittypet over a few towers of snow, they came to a snowy clearing. Two cats below were sharing a scrawny rabbit and besides them was a pile of warm fresh-kill that made Leopardnose's mouth water. As the four cats padded downward, the two strange cats lifted their heads up to reveal worn collars around their necks.

_Great…more kittypets!_

"Hi, Ohio!" a pretty light brown tabby she-cat with white paws and tail-tip meowed. "Who are these strange cats?"

"Oh, these are some Clan cats that I've found not far from here, Edmee," Ohio meowed casually. "They are Pineheart, Leopardnose and Ashwhisker."

Edmee smiled happily at the new cats and her emerald green eyes sparkled happily. "Are you three hungry? Buckeye and I've caught plenty of fresh-kill!"

"Uh…sure…" Pineheart meowed warily. Edmee padded over to the small pile and chose three squirrels and laid them in front of the CreekClan cats.

"Here you go!" Edmee chirped happily and sat next to Ohio.

"Er…thanks…" Ashwhisker meowed as he took a bite out of the squirrel.

The third cat—a dark brown tom with lighter eyes, muzzle, tail-tip and paws—stood up and gazed at the strange cats. "What are Clan cats doing around here?"

Pineheart slowly swallowed a piece of squirrel before answering. "We were sent away by our Clan…" he began.

Ohio tipped his head to the side. "Why?"

Before Pineheart could say something, Leopardnose spoke up. "Just because," she snapped.

Ohio and Edmee glanced at each other for a heartbeat, and then shrugged.

"So, wait a second," Ashwhisker meowed. "If you three are kittypets, then why…?"

"Oh, we understand what you're trying to say," Edmee meowed. "Our housefolk moved away one day…and left us…"

"Oh…we're sorry to hear that," Pineheart apologized.

_Geez, I feel really bad for them now…_

"Don't be," Buckeye meowed. "We're used to being on our own."

"Yeah, but we aren't used to these cold leaf-bare nights and those rogues, either!" Ohio joked and fluffed up his fur.

"Wait—rogues?" Pineheart asked.

"Yeah," Buckeye meowed. "We've ran into them a couple of times before, but they would ignore us. That dark red tabby tom's a pain in the tail."

"Dark red tabby tom? That sounds like Blood Stain!" Leopardnose gasped. "Have you seen a large gray tom with darker paws before?"

"Let me think…uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Ohio pondered out loud. "Oh, yes! I have! They live not far from here, actually!"

"Can you take us there?" Pineheart asked hopefully.

Edmee gave them a weird look. "Why would you want to go see them?" she asked.

"Those cats are going to attack our friends soon, and we were hoping to spy on them," Ashwhisker explained as his tail wagged happily.

The three kittypets exchanged an odd glance. "We'll take you there, in the morning," Buckeye meowed.

"Aww, what?" Ashwhisker exclaimed.

"Why not now?" Leopardnose complained.

"It's getting late," the kittypet with an orange collar meowed and looked at the setting sun. "And you three look tired."

"Buckeye has a point," Edmee meowed. "You three can stay with us tonight."

"We are grateful for that. Thank you," Pineheart meowed. Ohio led the three littermates to a hollowed log. Moss was lined inside the log and was heavy scented with the kittypets' scent. Leopardnose chose a comfortable-looking spot and lay down.

_Honeywhisker…how could you let this happen? We've been driven away from our only home into an unknown place filled with dangers. Please tell me that you are still watching over us…_

* * *

"Here we are," Buckeye meowed to his followers as he peered over a snow-covered bush. Leopardnose and her brothers, along with the two other kittypets, emerged over the bush with excitement hidden in their gleaming eyes. Beyond the bush, shaggy-looking dens made out of dead branches and leaves littered the large clearing. On the far side of the opening, a tall tree with long limbs arches over the camp. A dark gray tom with darker paws stood on the longest branch, kind of like how Redstar could sit on Hanging Branch to address the Clan.

A large group of cats crowded under the tree, waiting for the tom's orders.

"SavageClan!" the cat on the branch announced. You could barely even see him because of the night. "The time has come for us to take our territory; our _new_ home! The Clan cats will be gathering at their usual place tonight, and that's when we'll _attack_! We'll show those _pathetic_ warriors how we can use the shadows to our advantage!"

The SavageClan cats below let out screeches of approval.

"We'll kill them all!" Shear Cold yowled.

"No mercy!" Hooked Fang screeched.

"The Clans shall fall!" Snake Bite growled.

"We shall have victory!" Twisted Dreams yowled.

"Smoke Claw, what about Full Moon and Star Sight?" a dark red tabby tom spoke up. "They have betrayed us and joined the Clans."

"We shall kill them all, Blood Stain," Smoke Claw growled and raked his claws across the branch. He glanced up at the starry sky and the full moon. "Tonight shall be the _fall_ of the **Clans**, and the _rise_ of **SavageClan**!"

Cheers broke out among the SavageClan cats.

Smoke Claw leapt down from the tree in single bounds. "Come, my Clanmates, let us claim our new home!" With that, he bounded into the shadowy forest with his warriors not far behind him.

"Oh, no! They're attacking the Clans!" Leopardnose gasped after the rogues left. "We must stop them!"

"We can't stop an **entire** Clan!" Ashwhisker exclaimed. "We'll be dead in heartbeats!"

"Maybe we can't stop them, but we can warn the Clans!" Pineheart announced excitedly. He turned to the three kittypets. "We appreciative what you've done for us. You can go home now."

"Not a chance!" Buckeye snorted. "We'll come with you."

"But…you can't fight!" Leopardnose protested.

"Just because we're kittypets, doesn't mean we _can't_ fight," Edmee explained. "We'll join you three to help save your Clans."

Pineheart let out a long breath. "Thank you," he breathed.

"You can thank us _after_ we've beaten those no-good losers!" Ohio smirked. "Now come on! Let's go save your home!"

Pineheart nodded and quickly pelted after the SavageClan cats with his friends behind him.

_We'll show those mangy SavageClan cats that nobody messes with my home and gets away with it!_

* * *

Leopardnose panted as the six cats reached the top of the slope that led down towards the Gathering Place. She could just make out groups of cats down below.

"There they are!" Ashwhisker happily meowed.

"And there's SavageClan!" Pineheart growled and pointed with his striped tail towards a shadowy group of cats lurking not far from the Clans.

Before the six cats could do anything, the SavageClan cats leapt out from the shadows. Screeches were heard from the Clan cats and Leopardnose could just make out Smoke Claw's voice from below.

"We await your decision, Clan cats!" Smoke Claw growled and stepped forward. "Will you leave or face our claws?"

Kinkstar glanced at the other three leaders who were up in the oak tree. "Smoke Claw, we refuse your offer. The four Clans have lived here for seasons, and StarClan has decreed that we will stay here."

"StarClan fools!" Blood Stain growled. "They won't help you now! They can't stop us from destroying _every last one of you_!"

"Blood Stain, **shut up**!" Smoke Claw snapped and faced the four leaders again. "Very well." He narrowed his eyes. "By sunrise, the Clans shall be defeated! SavageClan, _destroy_ the Clans!"

At his order, the rogues behind him surged forward.

"CreekClan—!" Redstar growled.

"PineClan—!" Rumblestar yowled.

"SkyClan—!" Froststar cried.

"And BrambleClan—!" Kinkstar hollered.

"**ATTACK**!" All four leaders screeched.

All cats from all four Clans sprang forward and cries and hollers were heard from below.

Leopardnose felt her heart drop as the scent of blood rose in the night.

They were too late.

The battle has begun.


	19. Chapter 18

Screeches and cries of pain bellowed into the starry night and the stench of blood rose in the air. The honorable place of the Gathering place was now turned into a deadly battle against life and death. The SavageClan cats sought to kill the Clan cats; the Clan cats sought for survival.

"We've got to do something!" Leopardnose yowled.

"But what _can_ we do? If any of our Clanmates see us, they are ordered to kill us!" Ashwhisker reminded her.

Leopardnose glared at her brother. "Are you suggesting that we stand here and watch our Clanmates die?"

Ashwhisker's amber eyes grew wide with astonishment. "W-what? _No_!"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to let my friends die when I could be helping them!" Leopardnose snapped. "Even though we are banished, we are still CreekClan cats, and with that, we are _family_, and family _helps_ each other. Now…if you excuse me," She turned to her brothers and the three kittypets. "I'm going to help my _family_ defeat these no-good rogues!"

Without hesitation, Leopardnose pelted forward into the chaos below. Her friends soon dashed after her.

A screech made Leopardnose stop in her tracks as she wildly searched for the cause of that cry. A light brown tabby tom was pinned down by two SavageClan cats not far from her. The tom was flailing his paws, trying to get his opponents off of him as blood seeped out of the wound on his neck. One of the SavageClan cats raised his front paw for a killing blow. Realization struck her like lightning when she realized who that cat was.

_Ryeleaf!_

"Leave him alone!" Leopardnose hissed and dashed forward. She slammed into the SavageClan cats on top of her friend and raked her claws across their muzzles. The SavageClan cats yelped and dashed away for an easier prey.

"Leopardnose!" Ryeleaf gasped as he tried to stand up. Leopardnose helped him to his paws as he continued, "I knew you would come back! I just knew it! I missed you so much!" He pressed his muzzle into hers and his leaf-green eyes radiated with love.

Leopardnose let out a purr. "I missed you, too," she meowed as she gave his neck wound a good lick. _As a friend._

"Come on!" Ryeleaf purred. "We must show these SavageClan cats that they won't win!" He pelted forward into battle with Leopardnose right behind him. Stormy Sky—a dark gray tom—leapt forward for the two CreekClan cats, but was swiftly taken down by their blows. Gray Dawn—a pale gray tabby she-cat—tackled Leopardnose to the ground and slashed at her ear. Leopardnose scraped her claws across the rogue's face and wriggled free of her grasp.

"Today the Clans shall fall!" she hissed as blood dripped from her face.

"No, your Clan shall!" Ryeleaf insisted and tackled the gray tabby she-cat away. He then checked on his fried. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Leopardnose insisted, but her ear stung like fire. "Let's keep going."

Ryeleaf nodded and the two continued forward. They knew the SavageClan cats wouldn't back down until their leader was defeated.

A screech of triumph was heard as Redstar and Rumblestar took down several SavageClan cats, which were fleeing for their lives from the two Clan leaders.

"They won't be back in a hurry!" Rumblestar yowled to his companion.

"They'd be minnow-brained to do so!" Redstar agreed.

Blackfrost and Ravenwing fought side-by-side against Hooked Fang—a dark tabby tom with a hooked tooth—and Blood Stain. The PineClan tom shoved Hooked Fang straight into Blackfrost's claws. The CreekClan deputy slashed the SavageClan cat away into the crowd of fighting cats. Unknown to Blackfrost, Blood Stain slowly stalked behind the black tom and was about to attack when Ravenwing shoved him away.

"Thanks," Blackfrost meowed.

The PineClan tom only shrugged.

Frogfoot—a dark brown tabby tom—and Weaselclaw—a ginger & white tom—were being beaten by two SavageClan cats. Brackenstripe—a brown tabby tom—and Thrushfeather—a sandy colored she-cat—quickly ran to their rescue.

"Need any help?" Thrushfeather asked.

"We'll be glad for it!" Weaselclaw purred as the four Clan cats briskly chased away the rogues.

"Help!" Newtflight—a pale brown tabby she-cat—cried as Darken Heart—a pale gray she-cat—and Flying Spirit—a pale brown tabby she-cat—brutally attacked the PineClan cat. Blood dripped from the gash in her shoulder and above her eye.

"I'm coming!" Hollowhead announced. He charged at the vicious cats and used his head to ram them away. "They won't be back for a while!" he purred.

"Hollowhead!" Bramblethorn chided as the stopped by them. "Was that really necessary to ram them?"

"Well they're gone, aren't they?" Hollowhead insisted.

"Get them!" Leoparddash yowled as he chased Screeching Eagle—a dark brown tabby tom—and Midnight Black—a large black tom—with Rowanfall and Badgermask by his side.

"Run faster!" Midnight Black screeched.

"Stop running!" Twisted Dreams hissed. "We should be fighting, not running like scared kits!"

"You should be scared!" Doveflight—a dark gray she-cat—hissed and tackled Twisted Dreams. The two cats wrestled on the blood-stained ground with claws flying and cries yowling.

Shear Cold—a large white tom—leapt at a downed Rainfrost. The gray and white tom had several wounds on him from brawl with Shear Cold, and the white tom was about to deliver a killing blow. Just before Shear Cold could rake his claws across the CreekClan cat's throat, Berrycloud pelted forward.

"Leave my mate alone!" Berrycloud hissed and shoved her mate aside. Shear Cold's claws raked across her throat and her blood splattered on the ground.

"Stupid CreekClan cat!" the white tom hissed and took the fallen she-cat in his jaws and threw her not far.

"Don't call my mate 'stupid', you minnow-brained cat!" Rainfrost snapped and quickly got to his paws. Ignoring the pain that filled his body, the gray and white tom roared and slashed his claws across Shear Cold's face. He swiftly took Shear Cold's neck in his jaws and clamped them down under he heard a 'snap'. The white tom fell to the bloody ground and did not get up after that.

Rainfrost ran to his fallen mate and buried his nose into her sticky fur. "Berrycloud, no!" he mourned. His blue eyes were filled with agony and sorrow. "Please don't leave me!"

But Berrycloud's cloudy green eyes showed no expression and stared blankly into the starry sky.

Stripedwhisker gently touched his muzzle to Rainfrost's shoulder. "She died a true warrior," he whispered.

"We must find Smoke Claw!" Leopardnose quickly meowed to Ryeleaf. "We can't let anymore cats die!"

Ryeleaf glanced at Stripedwhisker and Rainfrost and immediately scented the air. "I've picked up his scent! This way!" The light brown tabby tom sprinted for the Great Tree not far. Leopardnose followed him, dodging cats as she sped after him.

Jaggedlightning sparred with Blood Stain not far from the Great Tree—the place where the leaders stand to address the Clans during Gatherings. The BrambleClan deputy was soon joined by Flintstrike—the SkyClan deputy—and the two toms quickly over took the SavageClan deputy.

Sparkfur—a dark gray tom—and Sloepelt—a black she-cat—fought side-by-side against Mottled Berry—a mottled gray she-cat—and Scarlet Blood—a dark ginger she-cat. Sloepelt swiftly bit Mottled Berry's hind leg as Sparkfur tackled her. Scarlet Blood dug her claws down Sparkfur's flank and his blood stained her claws. Sparkfur clawed her away as Mottled Berry tackled him to the ground. Sloepelt dug her claws into Mottled Berry's back and flung her aside.

Emberdust bravely defended Hazelnose—a brown and cream she-cat—from Cloud Tuft's sharp claws. The white rogue kept wildly slashing his claws out, trying to hit the PineClan tom. Emberdust, being himself, merely smirked as he dodged every one of his opponent's attacks. The ginger and brown tom suddenly seized Cloud Tuft by the shoulders and tussled with him on the ground.

"There!" Ryeleaf meowed as they neared the Great Tree. In front of it, Smoke Claw was wrangling with Viperstrike. The large dark gray tom held the dark ginger tabby tom in his throat and mercilessly shook him. Viperstrike's yowls filled the air, but suddenly stopped when a 'crack' was heard. Smoke Claw threw the deceased warrior to the side and glanced around the clearing for anyone who dare might challenge him.

"No," Leopardnose whispered. Another brave warrior had been killed by SavageClan.

"He's going down," Ryeleaf muttered murderously and took a step forward.

"No!" Leopardnose insisted. "He'll kill you, too!" She pressed her muzzle in his chest to hold him back. Her wide green eyes pleaded at him to stay, and Ryeleaf gave her ear a lick.

"What am I supposed to do then?" he asked.

Before Leopardnose could reply, a holler of fury turned their attentions toward Smoke Claw. He had found a new opponent, and their battle had begun. The battle-scarred gray tabby she-cat slowly stalked around Smoke Claw with a murderous glare in her eyes. Suddenly, she surged forward and struck Smoke Claw on his face and his blood flecked the ground. The SavageClan leader bore his teeth at the she-cat and his golden eyes shone with wickedness.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye.

Smoke Claw grabbed the she-cat's throat and threw her in the air. Before the she-cat could let out a shriek of help, Smoke Claw swiftly raked his scarlet claws across the she-cat's soft, white belly. Blood spewed everywhere and the she-cat lay in a crimson puddle.

"No!" Ryeleaf yowled and rushed forward. He sped past Smoke Claw and pushed his muzzle in the she-cat's wet fur. "Softbelly, no!"

Leopardnose blinked. It was _Softbelly_ who took on Smoke Claw? She could barely recognize the kind she-cat because of the wounds that laced around her dead body.

Leopardnose gently padded forward and pressed her muzzle against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she whispered and gave his ear a lick. Ryeleaf did not look up at her, but continued to press his muzzle against his mother's fur.

"No!" another yowl cried and Moonshadow rushed forward. The gray tabby tom was coated with wounds. Skytree appeared moments later and gently comforted the mourning tom.

_Great StarClan, how many more lives must you take before this battle is over?_

She turned to face Smoke Claw with determination in her eyes.

_He must be stopped now!_

Before she would take a pawstep closer to him, a tail gently touched her shoulder. It was Pineheart, with Nightstrike and Ashwhisker next to him.

Pineheart gazed calmly at his sister, and he seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. "Let's do this," he agreed.

_Together, we can defeat him and his tyranny!_


	20. Chapter 19

Leopardnose nodded and the four friends peacefully padded forward to the tyrant in front of them.

The beast with golden eyes gave them a menacingly smile. The full moon shone down and turned his claret-stained teeth and claws chilling silver.

"It's good to finally meet you, you half-Clan cats!" Smoke Claw spat.

"It's over, Smoke Claw!" Nightstrike threatened. "We will defeat you, and your army of savages!"

"That is highly unlikely, but…give it your best shot!" Smoke Claw growled. He crouched down, waiting for their attack.

With a screech of fury, Nightstrike shot forward, claws extended. Smoke Claw easily dodged and grabbed the black tom's tail in his jaws and catapulted him away.

Pineheart suddenly shot forward and grabbed Smoke Claw's throat in his jaws. Smoke Claw raised his paw to strike the dark brown tom, but Ashwhisker intercepted it by biting his paw until he tasted blood. While Smoke Claw was flailing about, Leopardnose skidded and kicked the dark gray tom's belly with claws out. The SavageClan leader was flung to the ground. Pineheart took this chance and slashed at the dark gray tom's belly. Immediately, Smoke Claw kicked Pineheart on the throat and shoved him away. Smoke Claw quickly leapt to his paws as Nightstrike slashed his throat. Before Smoke Claw could retaliate, Ashwhisker leapt on his back and began ripping his fur out. Ashwhisker sunk his teeth around the SavageClan leader's neck. Smoke Claw let out a cry of pain and stood on his hind legs. He began to back forward until he was a tail-length away from the Great Tree. In the blink of an eye, Smoke Claw fell backwards, crushing Ashwhisker between him and the sturdy oak. Ashwhisker let out a silent cry and then slumped to the ground.

"**NO!**" Leopardnose shrieked. She turned towards Smoke Claw and mercilessly began to strike him with her swift blows. Smoke Claw dodged one blow and struck her flank with his dagger-like claws. She let out a gasp of pain, before speedily struck Smoke Claw straight on the eye. Smoke Claw yowled in pain as gore dripped down his face. His right eye was completely destroyed, and only a red, fleshy mark was left.

"Smoke Claw!" Blood Stain hurriedly called as he dashed forward. "We must retreat!"

"No, you idiot!" Smoke Claw spat and slashed Blood Stain on the muzzle. "SavageClan never retreats!"

"But, Smoke Claw—" Blood Stain insisted, but Smoke Claw but him off.

"Only cowards retreat!" Smoke Claw hissed his one golden eye wide with hatred.

"But sometimes cowards _do_ survive," Leopardnose pointed out, her claws dug deep into the ground. "I think you better listen to him, Smoke Claw, or you might lose your other eye!"

Smoke Claw glared at the she-cat before turning to his deputy. "Alright; we will retreat." Blood Stain nodded and dashed away. "SavageClan, retreat!" Smoke Claw yowled. All of the remaining SavageClan cats hurriedly followed Blood Stain in a retreat.

Smoke Claw bore his teeth at Leopardnose. "This isn't over," he snarled before following his Clanmates.

Leopardnose felt her heart fill with relief. The battle was over and the Clans had won. A mournful wail made her heart fill with grief as she remembered what had happened.

Ashwhisker was dead.

Pineheart let out another mournful wail and buried his nose into his brother's crushed body. Leopardnose let out a cry  
and rushed to her brother. She too dug her muzzle into his crippled body and started to shake violently.

Her younger brother was gone.

Breathless.

Spiritless.

Lifeless.

Gone.

Ryeleaf gently padded forward and pressed his muzzle into her shoulder.

"He's in StarClan now, along with Viperstrike, Berrycloud and Softbelly," Ryeleaf murmured. Leopardnose lifted her head up and leaned on his shoulder, in need of a friend.

"Thank you," she breathed. Ryeleaf let out a purr and rasped his tongue over her ear.

"Leopardnose," Buckeye requested. The dark brown tom's left ear was torn to nothing while a few scratches laced his muscular body. Edmee and Ohio stood next to him, and were only covered in a few scratches.

"Thank StarClan you three are all right!" Pineheart meowed as he touched noses with Buckeye. "What will you three do now?"

"Well, since the battle was won, we've decided that we're going to our home in the forest," Edmee meowed softly.

"Are you sure?" Leopardnose asked. "You can join CreekClan, if you want to."

"Thanks, but we don't think we'll fit in really well," Ohio muttered as several Clan cats glanced at the three kittypets. "We don't think we'll be that accepted."

"But, thank you for the offer," Buckeye insisted. "We'll never forget you or your brothers."

"Well…good-bye, then," Leopardnose meowed as she touched noses with the three kittypets.

"If SavageClan starts something, again, we'll let you know!" Ohio laughed.

"You better!" Pineheart meowed. "Safe journeys, my friends."

"May StarClan be with you!" Leopardnose called as the three kittypets started to walk away. They looked back, only once, and exchanged a glance among them.

"Let's hope so!" Ohio hollered before the three kittypets disappeared from view.

Once they were gone, Redstar, covered in wounds, padded towards Leopardnose, Pineheart and Ryeleaf and slowly gazed at Ashwhisker's body. "We lost brave warriors today, but…thanks to you three we have defeated our enemy." He turned to Rumblestar, Froststar and Jaggedlightning, who were padding towards him. "Where is Kinkstar, Jaggedlightning?"

Jaggedlightning avoided the CreekClan leader's gaze. "She died in the battle, Redstar. I am BrambleClan's leader now."

Froststar dipped her head. "May StarClan grant you the wisdom to lead your Clan," she breathed.

Rumblestar glanced at Leopardnose and Pineheart. "Are you going to let them back into your Clan?"

Redstar glanced back at them. "I would be foolish not to," he meowed and glared at the PineClan leader. "And I was wrong to not fight for them in the first place. They are true CreekClan cats, and…I hope they will accept my offer to join our Clan again." He turned back to the two littermates with hopefulness in his gaze.

"We accept," Leopardnose sniffed after a few heartbeats. "Ashwhisker…would want us to."

"I guess we should depart now," Froststar meowed. "Until the next Gathering, then. A great battle has taken place, and today, StarClan has proved that we belong here."

The other Clan leaders nodded at her words and went to gather their Clanmates.

"CreekClan, time to go home," Redstar rallied. He stopped in front of Softbelly's body and pressed his muzzle into her fur. "I've always loved you," he whispered. "May you find great hunting and good friends in StarClan, my love." The great CreekClan leader lifted his head and straightening himself. When Blackfrost appeared to carry her body, Redstar insisted he do it instead.

Leopardnose couldn't help but praise her Clan leader as he put his dead mate's body on his shoulders.

_He never stopped loving her…even if he never showed it._

"Ready to go home?" Blackfrost asked as he padded forward.

"We are now," Pineheart meowed.

Blackfrost slowly let his gaze travel to Ashwhisker's body, and the Clan deputy let out a sigh. "He will be missed, and I always thought of him as my son." He looked at Pineheart and Leopardnose. "_All_ of you," he purred. He and Pineheart carried Ashwhisker's crippled body back to camp, while Ryeleaf and Leopardnose stayed behind.

"Do you think they'll be back?" Leopardnose asked the light brown tabby tom next to her. The morning sun was beginning to rise over the battle-worn land. Blood was splattered all over the snow and the scene looked destroyed.

"Maybe…or maybe not," Ryeleaf replied. "One thing's for sure…Smoke Claw will be back…and we'll be ready for him when he does." He turned to Leopardnose with passion flaring in his eyes. "Leopardnose…I really meant that I said a few days ago…about—"

Leopardnose placed her tail over his mouth. "I know," she whispered. The two touched noses for a few heart beats.

"I love you, Leopardnose," Ryeleaf whispered. "I always will."

"…I…love you, too, Ryeleaf…" Leopardnose meowed softly and after a few heartbeats, she pulled away from his gaze. "We…should get back to camp now. Our Clanmates will be looking for us."

Ryeleaf's eyes flashed with disappointment for a few heartbeats. "Oh…yeah…you're right," he meowed. "Let's go home now." With Ryeleaf gently brushing against her flank, the two CreekClan cats padded after their Clanmates as the dawning sun rose over the horizon.


	21. Chapter 20

All was quiet. All was peaceful. Not a bird sang or a squirrel chattered. The forest was at peace. The rising sun slowly peeked above the horizon and continued its trek into the sky. The stars of their ancestors slowly vanished, one by one in the dawning sky. Shadows appeared in the CreekClan camp below and grew in length as the sun climbed higher and higher.

Leopardnose's gaze never left her brother's cold body throughout the vigil. She would often close her eyes for a few moments, and pray that if she wished hard enough, that everything would've been a dream and Ashwhisker's lifeless amber eyes would be energized, again.

A tail gently brushed over her shoulders. The CreekClan she-cat looked up. Tinyspirit looked back at her with mournful green-golden eyes. The calico tabby she-cat then drew her tail away as she padded towards the four bodies with Jayspirit not far behind. Rainfrost, Pineheart and Ryeleaf rose up from their vigil and helped the elders carry the bodies outside the camp for burial.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked. Leopardnose quickly recognized the voice of her friend and her fur softly rose a bit.

_No! I'll never be! I lost another member of my family!_

"I'm…I'm fine," Leopardnose replied, almost a whisper.

Quailfeather rested his muzzle on her shoulder. "Like I said before, Ashwhisker is in StarClan now, and he will forever watch over you."

_He's right… _again_. No matter who I loose, they will forever watch over me._

"How do you feel…about your mother?" Leopardnose gingerly asked.

The medicine cat's pale green eyes clouded with grief and avoided her gaze. "My family's taking it pretty hard, especially Rainfrost." He looked towards the fern tunnel where the elders and three warriors had disappeared. "As for myself…I know I'll see her in my dreams. I can't grief too much now; the Clan needs me as their medicine cat."

"And you make a fine one," Leopardnose purred and rubbed her muzzle against his. Quailfeather purred along.

"I want to show you something," Quailfeather meowed.

"Show me what?"

"It a _surprise_, minnow-brain! But we have to do it tonight." Quailfeather chided.

"Why tonight?" Leopardnose demanded.

"Just because!" Quailfeather meowed and vanished into the medicine cat's den.

_He can be _so_ strange sometimes. _

* * *

Leopardnose padded out of the warriors' den when Quailfeather said for them to meet. Her StarClan ancestors shone above Leopardnose and there was barely a cloud in the night sky. She sat outside the den and glanced around the camp, searching for any sign of her friend.

Quailfeather suddenly appeared from the medicine cat's den and padded towards the fern tunnel. He waved his tail, indicating for Leopardnose to follow.

With no hesitation, Leopardnose softly patter after him and the two disappeared in the ferns.

"Where are we going, Quailfeather?" Leopardnose asked, but the pale gray tabby medicine cat didn't slow down. He sprang across the slushy snow and leapt across the melting creek. Leopardnose tried not to flinch when she splashed into the freezing creek.

"Quailfeather, wait up!" Leopardnose called, but he seemed not to hear her. The medicine cat bounded away into the ferns and didn't come out.

"Quailfeather!" Leopardnose leapt into the ferns, but her friend was nowhere to be seen. "Quailfeather?"

She was in a clearing surrounded by ferns and tall, looming trees. Above them, the almost-full moon shone with stars glittering next to it in the sky. The moon turned everything ablaze in a soft silver.

"Wow…" Leopardnose breathed. Never before had she seen anything more beautiful in her life.

"Got you!" a cat cried and Leopardnose was shoved to the ground. She tried to twist around to slash at her attacker, but her opponent pushed harder and pinned Leopardnose to the ground. "Who's the better warrior now, huh?"

"Quailfeather!" Leopardnose playfully growled. "Get off of me!"

Quailfeather let out a snort and simply sat on top of her and bend his head down so their noses lightly touched. "You know, I'm sensing some _déjà vu_, here, you know?" He titled his head towards the sky, as if he were thinking. "Like maybe…a few moons ago, perhaps? When you pinned me down and refused to get off, remember?"

"Of course I remember minnow-brain!" Leopardnose meowed. "That's also when you saved me from Full Moon—I mean, Nightstrike." She leaned forward and nuzzled caressed his neck fur. "Everything changed after that moon."

"Yes…yes it did," Quailfeather slowly replied. He was hypnotized by her dazzling green eyes, again, just like he was moons ago. Those jade green eyes sparkled in the moon light and her warm, soft golden fur shone a light silver. Her sweet and comforting scent snaked around Quailfeather, making him slightly shiver in bliss, and made him into a trance. He slowly bent down and touched her nose lightly. The medicine cat felt her tail swish on the ground in excitement, and he gingerly twinned his tail with hers.

After a few moments, Quailfeather regretfully got off of her and padded to the center of the silver clearing. "Here's what I wanted to show you earlier," he meowed and padded not far. The creek flowed by his paws and he ushered with his tail for Leopardnose to join him.

_What now?_ she wondered and padded next to her friend and stared into the creek. The stars above reflected down on the creek. At first, nothing happened, but then the stars began to _move_. They seemed to dance in the creek and they swirled around in spirals. Soon, they took on shapes; shapes of four kits, wailing out for their mother. After a few moments, the stars were swept away from the current, and the stars returned to normal.

Leopardnose let out a gasp. _It's those same kits when we visited the Tree of Life!_

"I keep seeing these kits in my dreams, but I don't know anything about them, or who they are," Quailfeather explained. "Have you seen them before?"

"I-I have," Leopardnose confessed. "When we first journeyed to the Tree of Life, I saw those kits in a dream, though I, too, don't know anything about them."

The medicine cat glanced at the creek once more. "Perhaps StarClan will give us more information about these kits later," he suggested.

Suddenly, something in the sky caught Leopardnose's eye. A streak of light flashed across the starry sky. "Oh, look! A shooting star! Quickly make a wish!" She squeezed her eyes tightly and prayed to her ancestors that her wish would come true.

"What did you wish for?" Quailfeather asked a heartbeat later.

"I can't tell you, or it won't come true, minnow-brain!" Leopardnose chided.

"Aww, come on, Leopardnose! Tell me!" Quailfeather teased and gently nudged her shoulder.

"Oh, alright!" Leopardnose sighed. "But don't you **dare** laugh!"

"Medicine cat's honor," Quailfeather promised.

"…I wished that…" She closed her eyes. "That we'd be together forever."

When she opened her eyes, again, Quailfeather was staring at her with a flabbergast look on his face. "Are…are you serious?" he asked.

Leopardnose let out a deep breath. "I've never been more serious in my entire life, Quailfeather." She paused for a moment. "What did you wish for?"

"…I wished that you would love me forever," he replied, barely a whisper.

She looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really," he meowed and caressed her ear.

"I will love you forever, Quailfeather, and _please_ never forget that!" Leopardnose admitted.

"I promise," Quailfeather breathed as the two touched noses. "Forever and ever."

"Forever and ever."

The two lovers twinned their tails together and rubbed their muzzle against each other's. Above them, the stars did nothing to stop them, but only watched as the half-Clan she-cat and the medicine cat tom started a forbidden relationship.

_"I will love you all my life and when I die I will still love you through eternity and beyond."_


	22. Epilogue

"Hurry up, Whitescar!" a dark ginger tabby tom called to the white tabby tom behind him. "Honeywhisker wanted to meet with us, remember?"

"I'm going as fast as I can, Flamescorch!" Whitescar complained. "Minnow-brained medicine cat!"

Flamescorch stopped in his tracks and turned to face the white tabby deputy. "Uh, _who_ got that reed tip out of your paw when you were an apprentice?"

Whitescar sighed. "_You_ did."

"And _who_ saved your brother's life when he nearly drowned in the creek? _Who_? _Who_?"

"_You_ did."

"And _who_ made sure your mother would die a peaceful death, instead of being slaughtered by some crazy cat? _Who_? _Who_? _Who_?"

"_YOU_ did."

"So you **better** not be complaining, if I were ya," Flamescorch laughed and dashed away, again.

"Hey, wait up!" Whitescar yowled and sped after him, again. "Slow down!"

"No, _you_ speed _up_! You got four paws! Use 'em!" Flamescorch laughed and continued to pelt faster.

"Ugh…" Whitescar moaned. "Medicine cats!"

After a painful dash through the forest, the former CreekClan deputy finally caught up with Flamescorch in a clearing.

"'Bout time, you showed your little tail here! What took ya so long?" Flamescorch joked as he sat down by the creek.

Whitescar let his shoulders sag. "I'm going to pretend that you aren't here so this annoying headache of mine will go away!"

The pale cream-colored tabby she-cat sat on a rock not far from them, and she stared directly into the prattling creek. She didn't say anything, and it seemed that she was ignoring the two toms behind her.

"Sorry we're late!" a dark smokey gray tom meowed and padded into the clearing with a pale blue-gray she-cat with paler spots next to him.

"It's good to see you again, Ashwhisker, and you Bubblespots," Whitescar meowed to the two CreekClan cats.

The cream-colored tabby she-cat finally stopped staring into the creek and turned to face the four cats. "You four, come look at this," she meowed and pointed to the creek with her tail.

"What is it, Honeywhisker?" Bubblespots asked as the four cats padded forward to the rocks and looked into the rushing water. For a few heartbeats, they saw nothing, but soon they saw the image of a cat in the CreekClan camp. She was lying in the sun and licking her belly.

"Hey, it's Leopardnose!" Ashwhisker gleefully chirped.

"Of _course_ we know it's your sister, minnow-brain!" Whitescar snapped.

"Hush!" Bubblespots chided and looked into the water, again. "By the looks of it, she's expecting kits."

"But who's kits?" Flamescorch asked out loud. "We know she loves Ryeleaf _and_ Quailfeather, but who's the father?"

"Who do you think minnow-brain?" Bubblespots snapped. "It's obvious who it is!"

"One of those kits will not survive its birth," Honeywhisker softly meowed, causing the other cats to gasp.

"It…won't?" Ashwhisker asked.

"No…it will not," Honeywhisker meowed.

"Poor Leopardnose…" Ashwhisker murmured, his heart immediately going out to his sister. "She has to suffer more."

"Oh, her suffering is just beginning, my son," Honeywhisker informed. "All because of the choices she makes."

"Is there anything we can do for her?" Whitescar gently asked.

"We can only watch over her and guide her, but nothing more," Honeywhisker explained and soon the image in the water was swept away by the current. The she-cat took a step back. "But…there is another thing I want to talk about with you four."

"The prophecy?" Bubblespots knowingly asked.

Honeywhisker nodded.

"Okay, now this doesn't make **any** sense!" Flamescorch meowed. "We _gave_ the prophecy _moons ago_ to my brother, but it hasn't been fulfilled yet?"

"Correct," Honeywhisker meowed. "We were mistaken when we saw the golden cat in our dreams. We all thought it was my daughter, but…it is not."

"The golden cat is still to come," Bubblespots murmured.

"Who is the golden cat, Honeywhisker?" Whitescar asked.

"We do not know, Whitescar," Honeywhisker meowed. "But we will keep watch to find this cat."

"What about SavageClan and Smoke Claw?" Ashwhisker pointed out. "Yes, the Clans have diminished their size, but they are still out there."

"And it is not the end of their terror, either," Honeywhisker meowed. "There is still more to come."

"I'm afraid to know what it is," Bubblespots murmured.

Honeywhisker let out a sigh. "We **must** be strong, and watch over our family and friends. Whatever happens, we must stay never forget who we are."

The other cats slowly nodded, and soon they all went their separate ways, leaving only Flamescorch. The former medicine cat glanced into the gushing creek once more. The creek seemed to be speaking to him, and soon an ancient voice was heard.

_"The reign of the forbidden has gone; is the time for the coming of the oracle, who is born of shattered customs and will shine like the golden sun at the apex of the Clan."_

Flamescorch blinked. _Who said that?_ He glanced into the creek again, hoping to her the elderly voice once more, but he didn't hear it.

_Okay, if I tell everyone else that the creek __**talked**__ to me, they'll think I'm crazier than a naked raccoon doing the hokey-pokey._

The former medicine cat looked up to the swaying trees above.

_Well…golden cat…we are waiting for you, and ya better come quick. _He glimpsed into the creek again._ We could sure use you for the times ahead._

When nothing happened, the dark ginger tabby medicine cat stood up and padded away into the ferns, leaving the creek gushing behind him.

Just as Flamescorch vanished into the ferns, the creek whispered once more.

_"The reign of our protector, who has been foreseen for so long, is drawing near."_


	23. Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

CREEKCLAN

**LEADER**

**Redstar**—large dark red tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Lives—7**

**DEPUTY**

**Whitescar**—large white tom w/ black stripes & golden eyes

**Apprentice—Steelpaw**

**MEDICINE CAT**

**Bubblespots**—pale blue-gray she-cat w/ paler spots & blue eyes

**Apprentice—Quailpaw**

**WARRIORS**

**Rainfrost**—gray & white tom w/ blue eyes

**Viperstrike**—dark ginger tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Stripedwhisker**—dark brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Blackfrost**—pitch black tom w/ green eyes

**Berrycloud**—mottled gray & white she-cat w/ green eyes

**Apprentice—Hawkpaw**

**Flyingcloud**—white tom w/ black stripes & purple eyes

**Wingflight**—white tom w/ golden eyes & black tail-tip

**Icetalon**—dark brown tabby she-cat w/ white paws & blue eyes

**APPRENTICES**

**Hawkpaw**—white she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Steelpaw**—gray tabby tom w/ blue eyes

**Quailpaw**—pale gray tabby tom w/ green eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

**QUEENS**

**Softbelly**—gray tabby she-cat w/ white underbelly & blue eyes (mother of Stripedwhisker's kits—5 moons old)

**Honeywhisker**—pale cream-colored tabby she-cat w/ green eyes (mother of Blackfrost's kits— 3 moons old)

**Lightningstrike**—white she-cat w/ yellow stripes & blue eyes (mother of Redstar's kits— 2 moons old)

**KITS**

**Cedarkit**—dark brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Lilykit**—pale gray tabby she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Otterkit**—ginger tabby & white she-cat w/ green eyes

**Pinekit**—dark brown tom w/ striped tail & amber eyes

**Leopardkit**—golden she-cat w/ unusually black spots & green eyes

**Ashkit**—smokey black tom w/ amber eyes

**Moonkit**—dark gray tom w/ darker stripes w/ amber eyes

**Ryekit**—pale brown tabby tom w/ green eyes

**ELDERS**

**Jayspirit**—black & white tom w/ golden eyes

**Tinyspirit**—mottled tortoiseshell & white she-cat w/ green eyes

PINECLAN

**LEADER**

**Rumblestar**—dark brown tabby tom w/ green eyes

**Lives—9**

**DEPUTY**

**Foxtooth**—dark ginger tabby tom w/ green eyes & long front teeth

**Apprentice—Frogpaw**

**MEDICINE CAT**

**Twigcrack**—pale brown tabby she-cat w/ green eyes

**Apprentice—Chervilpaw**

**WARRIORS**

**Badgermask**—black & white tom w/ green eyes

**Leoparddash**—long-haired brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Rowanfall**—long-haired golden tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Flowerstem**—small, cream-colored she-cat w/ green eyes

**Sharpstrike**—black tom w/ amber eyes

**Yellowstrike**—dark brown tabby tom w/ yellow eyes

**Newtflight**— pale brown tabby she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Ravenwing**—black tom w/ amber eyes

**Skypatch**—black & white she-cat w/ blue eyes

**APPRENTICES**

**Frogpaw**—dark brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Chervilpaw**—pale brown tabby she-cat w/ green eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

**QUEEN**

**Cloversplash**—tortoiseshell & white she-cat w/ amber eyes (mother of Foxtooth's kits—4 moons old)

**KITS**

**Emberkit**—dark ginger tom w/ faint brown patches & green eyes

**Cherrykit**—small, tortoiseshell & white she-cat w/ green eyes

**ELDER**

**Lizardspots**—brown & white tom w/ green eyes

SKYCLAN

**LEADER**

**Swiftstar**—pale brown tabby she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Lives—2**

**DEPUTY**

**Frostpool**—gray tabby she-cat w/ blue eyes

**MEDICINE CAT**

**Magicsong**—cream-colored she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Apprentice—Icewind**

**WARRIORS**

**Weaselclaw**—ginger & white tom w/ green eyes

**Rabbittail**—black & white tom w/ golden eyes

**Doveflight**—dark gray she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Brackenstripe**—brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Shadeflower**—smokey gray she-cat w/ golden eyes

**Apprentice—Echopaw**

**Flintstrike**—gray tabby tom w/ blue eyes

**Apprentice—Ivypaw**

**Silentbreeze**—silver tabby she-cat w/ green eyes

**APPRENTICES**

**Icewind**—short-haired white tom w/ amber eyes (medicine cat apprentice)

**Ivypaw**—gray & white she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Echopaw**—gray tabby she-cat w/ green eyes

**QUEENS**

**Whisperfoot**—silver tabby she-cat w/ blue eyes (mother of Brackenstripe's kits—5 moons old)

**Acorntail**—light brown tabby she-cat w/ amber eyes (mother of Weaselclaw's kits—2 moons old)

**KITS**

**Thornkit**—brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Specklekit**—speckled brown she-cat w/ green eyes

**Windkit**—gray tabby & white she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Hazelkit**—brown & cream she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Tadpolekit**—black tom w/ golden eyes

**Sootkit**—smokey-gray tom w/ amber eyes

**ELDERS**

**Ashleaf**—aging gray & white tom w/ golden eyes

**Harvestmoon**—golden tabby she-cat w/ golden eyes & gray muzzle

BRAMBLECLAN

**LEADER**

**Kinkstar**—long-haired brown she-cat w/ golden eyes

**Lives—3**

**DEPUTY**

**Jaggedlightning**—gray tabby tom w/ black stripes & golden eyes

**MEDICINE CAT**

**Waspwing**—gray & white tom w/ blue eyes

**WARRIORS**

**Halfheart**—white she-cat w/ one green eye & one blue eye

**Sparkfur**—dark gray tom w/ green eyes

**Bramblethorn**—black tom w/ brown underbelly & amber eyes

**Apprentice—Mousepaw**

**Peachspots**—ginger & white she-cat w/ green eyes

**Fireblaze**—dark ginger tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Apprentice—Leafpaw**

**Blazestorm**—dark ginger tom w/ amber eyes

**Flowersplash**—golden tabby she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Cindertail**—dark brown she-cat w/ golden eyes

**APPRENTICES**

**Leafpaw**—dark brown tabby she-cat w/ amber eyes

**Mousepaw**—small brown tom w/ amber eyes

**QUEENS**

**Thrushfeather**—sandy-colored she-cat w/ green eyes (mother of Jaggedlightning's kits—3 moons old)

**Sloepelt**—black she-cat w/ blue eyes (mother of Sparkfur's kits—2 moons old)

**KITS**

**Duskkit**—gray tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Hollowkit**—brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Hailkit**—small, gray & white she-cat w/ blue eyes

**Tidekit**—black tom w/ blue eyes

**Shatterkit**—dark gray she-cat w/ large darker patches & blue eyes

**ELDERS**

**Sparrowclaw**—brown tabby tom w/ amber eyes

**Sweetpetal**—tortoiseshell she-cat w/ green eyes


End file.
